Dr. Roby Robertson, professor of public administration, has accepted appointment as UALR’s Research Integrity Officer (RIO), Chancellor Joel E. Anderson has announced.

A former director of the UALR Institute of Government, Robertson also has extensive experience in issues related to research as a member of the Institutional Review Board. Robertson, whose appointment is effective immediately, replaces Dr. Fred Williams, who has retired.

The Research Integrity Officer (RIO) is the official charged with handling allegations of scientific misconduct on funded and unfunded research in the university. This includes violations of university policy in research, not following Institutional Review Board requirements, or not following professional and ethical requirements of federal agencies and other funders of research.

Examples of matters the Research Integrity Officer would address include allegations of fabrication of data or results, plagiarism, and falsification of the research record.

“I express appreciation to Dr. Williams for his service in the position, and I am grateful to Dr. Robertson for accepting this important assignment,” Anderson said.