Office for Research Protections

The Office for Research Protections (ORP) is Penn State’s home for research ethics and compliance, where we partner with researchers to maintain the integrity of Penn State research.

Announcements

June 15, 2026
We are pleased to announce the merger of two Provost Endorsements - Mentoring in Research and Research Integrity and Successful Research Environments - into a single, comprehensive program: Research C...
June 1, 2026
The American Security Drone Act of 2023 took effect on December 22, 2025, and restricts the use of drones, equipment, or software from covered foreign entities, including manufacturers based in China....
May 21, 2026
Penn State’s Administrative Committee on Research (ACOR), in partnership with the Office for Research Protections, will open applications for the 2026–2027 ACES (Certification & Education Series) ...

Education

The ORP oversees ACES (ACOR Certification and Education Series), the CITI program and RECR trainings on research ethics and compliance. We also offer in-person and online training for the submission of research to the IRB and IACUC. For training and requirements, see the Education program page.

Accreditation

We maintain accreditation with the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC) and the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs (AAHRPP). These accreditations are voluntary, selective, and require we uphold rigorous ethical standards.

AAHRPP Certification Seal