Before you begin research with human subjects you must follow the process of Institutional Review, and have written approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB page outlines considerations for human subjects research, templates for informed consent, and offers guidelines for internet surveys, conflict of interest, regulations and ethical guidelines, government agencies and regulations. You can also navigate to:
The Institutional Review Board (IRB) at WPI promotes and supports efforts to conduct innovative research at WPI while also helping researchers understand and comply with the ethical guidelines and regulatory requirements for research involving human subjects.
Federal mandate (The Common Rule, 45 CFR 46) and WPI policy require that the IRB review and approve all applicable research involving human subjects that is performed under the auspices of WPI, including engineering, physiological, behavioral, sociological, and nutritional studies, including projects involving human tissues, blood or images, questionnaires, and interviews.
IRB approval must be obtained before any human studies begin. For research involving minimal risk, approval is granted for one year and must be renewed annually. For research involving more than minimal risk, renewal frequency will be determined by the IRB upon approval.
Email irb@wpi.edu with any questions or concers.