January 22, 2004

Fournier named associate VP for research integrity

Timothy J. Fournier has been appointed associate vice president for research integrity and head of the newly created Office of Research Integrity, effective Feb. 16, it was announced by C. Bradley Moore, vice president for research and professor of chemistry.

Fournier is currently the Institutional Compliance Officer for The University of Pennsylvania and The University of Pennsylvania Health System, responsible for establishing, directing and coordinating compliance activities throughout the academic, administrative and clinical facets of the university.

Fournier will take the lead in developing a research culture in which exemplary integrity/compliance is the norm and in providing faculty, students and staff with the most straightforward processes and most useful sources of information. While his position will not supplant the compliance roles and responsibilities of existing administrative and academic units, Fournier will serve in an advisory capacity on a wide range of compliance issues, including institutional and governmental policies and regulations involving the use of human and animal subjects; protection of personal research information; grant submission, management and contracting, including financial oversight; licensing, commercializing and/or exporting developed technology; and research integrity, including conflict of interest and scholarly misconduct.

The Office of Research Integrity is being established to support the activities of the new associate vice president.

At Penn, Fournier coordinates compliance assessment, delivers compliance education to faculty and staff, monitors and communicates compliance issues to relevant Penn personnel, and works with senior management and the Office of General Counsel to safeguard the institution and its research subjects and personnel.