2017 Peer Review Handbook

Transcription

1 Office of Fellowships and Internships 2017 Peer Review Handbook Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program (SIFP)

2 The Smithsonian s Office of Fellowships and Internships (OFI) adheres to and enforces best practices for the peer review process. From start to finish OFI proceeds as if auditors and applicants are watching to ensure a fair and unbiased peer review process. OFI s mission is to make sure all academic appointment applicants are treated equally and that no applicant has grounds for legal action or public criticism of the Smithsonian s peer review process. 2

3 Fellows at the Smithsonian......conduct independent study or research relating to Smithsonian collections, facilities, or staff expertise with guidance from a Smithsonian advisor....may or may not receive a stipend to help defray living expenses during the fellowship. Residency Requirements for Smithsonian Fellows: There is generally no residency requirement for Smithsonian Fellows as long as the Fellows independent research or study relates to Smithsonian collections, facilities, or experts Smithsonian Institution Fellow Program (SIFP) Fellows must be in residence conducting independent research that relates to Smithsonian collections, facilities, or experts The guidance in this handbook applies to all SIFP Smithsonian Fellowship Committees. Each Fellowship Committee may adopt additional guidelines appropriate for their respective disciplines. However, unit guidelines can t conflict with the guidelines in this handbook. 3

4 How Are Smithsonian fellows receiving stipends and/or allowances paid? Stipend money for Unit Fellows are paid from Unit Funds Stipend money for Smithsonian Institution Fellows are paid from Central Funds Smithsonian Fellowship Committees select Smithsonian Institution Fellows are funded using Central Funds 4

5 Reviewer Advisor Roles & Responsibilities Consultant OFI Staff Committee Chair Committee Member Observer Academic Appointment Coordinator 5

6 Roles & Responsibilities Reviewer Subject matter expert selected by applicants or committee to review fellowship proposals May or may not be SI staff May or may not serve as an advisor to selected Fellows Advisor SI staff person who advises & hosts a SI Fellow throughout the duration of the fellowship Listed in The Smithsonian Opportunities for Research (SORS) so applicants can select the most appropriate contact based on research focus Works with unit Fellowship/Internship Coordinator to secure ID badges, network accounts, access to areas for research, etc. for the Fellow Arranges access to collections at other SI museums when needed Consultant SI staff & subject matter expert consulted as-needed by the SI Fellow Listed in The Smithsonian Opportunities for Research (SORS) so applicants can select the most appropriate contact based on research focus OFI Office of Fellowships and Internships Promotes SI Fellowship Opportunities at the SI Listed on the OFI web site so potential applicants have a contact who can answer questions about the program and the application process Accepts and process SI Fellowship applications Sets policy, protocol, and procedures for peer review process Communicates the committee s decision to applicants and external stakeholders Delivers list of awardees to Academic Appointment Coordinators and Advisors to ensure placement is secured before formal offers are made 6

7 Roles & Responsibilities - Continued Committee Chair Smithsonian staff person who serves as a liaison between OFI and the committee Ensures that committee members are diverse and qualified Ensures efficient and fair peer review meetings (e.g., schedules committee meetings, ensures meetings start on time, assigns a committee member to record meeting proceedings, ensures the proposals are ranked) Shares expectations, policies, directives and standards with committee members Creates and shares guidance that is specific to their committee Committee Member Individual with expertise in a discipline related to committee s focus Reviews SIFP fellowship proposals assigned to committee Helps select awards through committee ranking, rating and consensus Designates a chair through committee consensus Helping ensure the committee has a diversity of voices Observer (Optional ) individual invited to observe peer review process With the goal of transparency to the peer review process, committees may invite individuals to observe meetings Does not participate in meetings, committee deliberations or selections Academic Appointment Coordinator Smithsonian staff person who oversees Fellowship appointments for his/her unit Ensures each Fellow in his/her unit is properly registered and apprised of unit s policies and procedures Ensures each Fellow in his/her unit has valid ID credentials, research space, computer and phone if required Gives Fellows tour of work area and explains emergency evacuation 7

8 The SIFP Application Process 1. OFI reviews all Fellowship applications 2. OFI publicizes Fellowships through a variety of media and networks 3. Potential Fellows review The Smithsonian Opportunities for Research (SORS) to find and contact possible Advisors 4. Potential Fellows apply via SOLAA 5. OFI Sets committee budgets 6. OFI Sends applications to reviewers 7. OFI Sends applications to committee members after 1st review deadline 8. Notifies Applicants, Advisors and Units of SI fellowship selections 8

9 Guidance on Reviewing Proposals Reviews take time but are a vital part of the fellowship review process. proposal. Fellowship Selection Committees may interpret no review as a negative impression of the proposal If a Reviewer feels a proposal is outside his/her area of expertise s/he should siofi@si.edu before the review deadline If a Reviewer is unable to offer a review before the deadline for any reason s/he can skip the review questions & go to the reviewer comment to explain Follow regulations regarding protecting privacy (see SD 931) Thoroughly read each application analyzing the strengths and weaknesses Analyze the proposal s compatibility with SI collections, facilities, programs and staff Contextualize the applications within current work in the field When adding comments in SOLAA use clear language free of jargon All comments must relate to the evaluation criteria and be evidence-based Reviewer comments may be forwarded anonymously to Fellowship applicants so avoid comments that would identify a Reviewer or that could be offensive Rank each applicant providing evidence to support ranking prior to committee selection meeting 9

10 Guidance on Reviewing Proposals Continued Consider only the information provided in the application Committee members should thoroughly read each application and all other corresponding reviews for each application Be aware of SD 606 and comment on any proposals involving human subject research requiring Institutional Review Board (IRB) review Be aware of SD 605 and comment on any proposals involving research on live animals Consider any proposal involving scientific diving and comment on whether it meets SI safety standards Comment if they have reason to believe that, in conducting the research they have proposed, the applicant will violate any Smithsonian policies (including those related to EEO, prevention of workplace harassment, academic integrity, etc.). For interdisciplinary applications all reviewers should determine if the different disciplines meet up in a coherent way Committee members should participate in committee meetings (in person or via conference call) to agree on final rankings for all proposals Committee members who are unavailable for committee meeting should provide the Chair with detailed comments and rankings of applications Guidance on Committee Selection Health insurance allowances are offered automatically to all SIFP awardees in residence for three months or longer and come from a separate OFI budget Any travel allowances or research allowance offers to SIFP awardees are made at the discretion of each review committee and come from that committee s budget Committees focused on research in the natural sciences should consider completing a nominating form for selected SIFP Fellows for the Secretary s Distinguished Research Fellowship which offers an extra year of funding 10

11 Prohibition on Official Actions that Could Affect an Employee s Financial Interests A Smithsonian employee should not participate in an official capacity in any matter in which the employee or the employee s spouse, minor child, business partner, or a person or organization with which the employee is connected has a financial interest. (See 18 U.S.C. 208). If an employee holds a potentially conflicting interest or a question might be raised concerning the influence of financial interests on the integrity of an employee s official services, the employee must consult with an ethics counselor. The ethics counselor will help determine whether the employee should recuse him/herself from participating in an action or request a waiver to participate in the action. For more information on SI Standards of Conduct see Smithsonian Directive

12 SIFP Timetable for 2017 Tues 9/6/16 Thu 9/15/16 Mon 10/3/16 Wed 10/12/16 Mon 10/24/16 Mon 10/31/16 Fri 11/4/16 Nov-Dec Thurs 12/1/16 Fri 12/2 Tue 12/6 Wed 12/7/16 Fri 12/9/16 Mon 1/9/17 Tues 1/17/17 Wed 1/18/17 Mon 1/23 Fri 2/24 Wed 2/1/17 Fri 2/24/17 Wed 3/1/17 Fri 3/3/17 Applications open for the: Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program (SIFP) Smithsonian Biodiversity Genomics Postdoctoral Fellowship Smithsonian Postgraduate Fellowship in Conservation of Museum Collections Smithsonian Mpala Postdoctoral Fellowship Stable Isotope Postdoctoral Fellowship (T) George Burch Fellowship Academic Appointment Council Meeting MDR , SI-Wide Publicizing SIFP SI Fellowship Review Committee Chair Meeting Regents Room, the Castle SI-Wide Publicizing Big Ten Academic Alliance Fellowship (formerly CIC) Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship (SARF) Nominations Due Application opens for SARF Formation of Fellowship Review Committees Invite current fellows, look for opportunities to diversify, ask centers for suggestions Application Deadlines for: Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program Smithsonian Postgraduate Fellowship in Conservation of Museum Collections Smithsonian Biodiversity Genomics Postdoctoral Fellowship Smithsonian Mpala Postdoctoral Fellowship Stable Isotope Postdoctoral Fellowship OFI Triages Applications into Committees OFI Sends Out Applications for Review Preliminary SIFP Budgets Released Application Deadline for SARF SIFP Application Reviews Due OFI Releases Final Committee Budgets SIFP Review Committees meet Application Deadlines for the: Minority Visiting Student Awards Program Native American Community Scholars Program Native American Visiting Students Program Review Committee Selection Lists Due OFI notifies unit coordinators re: imminent offers Applicant Notification Target Date Secretary s Distinguished Research Award Nominations Due 12

13 Agreement The peer review process must be impartial and fair. It is important to consider whether a member of the public knowing the facts of a situation might reasonably think the judgment of a committee member could be influenced by a potential conflict of interest. It is vital that all reviewers are seen to be completely impartial at all stages of the review process. Smithsonian staff must ensure they are eligible before undertaking a review. A Smithsonian employee should not participate in an official capacity in any matter in which the employee or the employee s spouse, minor child, business partner, or a person or organization with which the employee is connected has a financial interest. (See 18 U.S.C. 208). If a committee member has any questions about a potentially conflicting interest or suspects a question might be raised concerning the influence of financial interests on the integrity of an employee s official services, he/she should speak with OFI staff and the committee chair. An ethics counselor may help determine whether the employee should recuse him/ herself from participating in an action or request a waiver to participate in the action. For more information on SI Standards of Conduct see Smithsonian Directive 103. I have read this Peer Review Handbook and agree to abide by all the regulations it contains while serving in the peer review process: Print Name Signature Date Committee 13