Ethics Toolkit for Researchers and Scientists

Research and science are key components to the overall mission of DOI and DOI employees are at the forefront of both research and scientific developments in numerous fields.

Research and science are collaborative professions and often require close interaction with non-Federal individuals and entities, including through grants and contracting activities.  DOI employees engaged in research and scientific activities must interact closely with other members of the research and scientific communities, both inside and outside the Federal Government, in order to both attain and maintain their professional standing and reputations.  At the same time, DOI also seeks opportunities to partner with non-Federal entities in order to accomplish research and scientific projects and goals.

Often, in this environment, the lines between public and private interests can become blurred which creates the potential for ethics issues.  While DOI employees have a clear professional obligation to improve the level of research and science in their chosen field(s), this work must be completed in compliance with applicable ethics rules.

While the ethics rules that apply to DOI employees engaged in research and science activities are the same as those applicable to all other DOI employees, the Departmental Ethics Office (DEO) has put together an Ethics Toolkit for Researchers and Scientists as a complement to 305 DM 5, Integrity of Scientific and Scholarly Activities, and as a resource on conflicts of interest, impartiality, misuse of position, gifts, outside employment (including teaching, speaking and writing activities), and other ethics rules.

The goal of the Ethics Toolkit is to help DOI employees undertake their work mindful not only of the dangers that conflicts of interest and other ethical risks pose to them personally, but also of the dangers that the very appearance of conflict and loss of impartiality pose to the public's perception of the overall integrity of DOI programs and mission activities.

Additional Ethics Resources:

Widely Attended Gatherings (DI-1958)

Acceptance of Travel Expenses (DI-2000)

Outside Work and Activities (DI-7010)

If you have any questions about how the ethics statutes, the standards of ethical conduct, or DOI supplemental ethics regulations apply to you and your work at DOI, then please seek ethics guidance from an ethics official in the DEO.  Contact information for ethics officials in the DOI Ethics Program can be found here.

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