NOAA draft scientific integrity policy: Comment period open through 20 August

Abstract

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is aiming to finalize its draft scientific integrity policy possibly by the end of the year, Larry Robinson, NOAA assistant secretary for conservation and management, indicated during a 28 July teleconference. The policy “is key to fostering an environment where science is encouraged, nurtured, respected, rewarded, and protected,” Robinson said, adding that the agency's comment period for the draft policy, which was released on 16 June, ends on 20 August. “Science underpins all that NOAA does. This policy is one piece of a broader effort to strengthen NOAA science,” Robinson said, noting that the draft “represents the first ever scientific integrity policy for NOAA. Previously, our policy only addressed research misconduct and focused on external grants. What's new about this policy is that it establishes NOAA's principles for scientific integrity, a scientific code of conduct, and a code of ethics for science supervision and management.”