Recent Changes Concerning Research Integrity at McGill
Appointments to the Office of Research Integrity Officer
Professor Marc Pell has been appointed as a McGill Deputy Research Integrity Officer. He began the three-year, part-time appointment on September 1, 2021. As a Deputy RIO, Professor Pell promotes integrity in the conduct of research and carries out the assessment of research misconduct allegations. He works closely with the Research Integrity Officer (RIO), Professor Christina Wolfson, and Deputy RIO Professor Frank Ferrie, to foster an environment that promotes the ethical and responsible conduct of research.
Professor Pell is a James McGill Professor in the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. He was the Director of the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders between 2010 and 2019, where part of his role was to lead the school in its education and research missions. He also served as Associate Dean in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences between 2012 and 2019.
McGill thanks Professor David Ragsdale who has completed his three-year appointment as a Deputy RIO this month. He also served as the University’s interim RIO from 2019 to 2020 during Professor Wolfson’s sabbatical leave. Professor Ragsdale is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, and an Associate Member in the Department of Physiology. He is also a member of the McGill Institute for Health Science Research and of the McGill Centre for Medical Education.
New RIO Email Address
The RIO’s email address has been recently updated to rio.vpri [at] mcgill.ca. Members of the McGill community can contact the RIO for consultations and questions regarding the conduct of research. The Deputy RIOs have also received official email addresses, which will be used for internal purposes.
Revisions to the Regulations Concerning the Investigation of Research Misconduct
McGill’s Senate and Board of Governors approved revisions to the University’s Regulations Concerning the Investigation of Research Misconduct in spring 2021. As part of the regular three-year review cycle, the Regulations have been revised to better align with requirements of the federal Tri-Council Agencies and the provincial Fonds de recherche du Quebec (FRQ) as well as to streamline and simplify the internal processes.
The Regulations establish a procedural framework to ensure the promptness, impartiality, fairness, and transparency of McGill’s response to allegations of research misconduct.
Read the policy on the Regulations Concerning the Investigation of Research Misconduct.