Confidential counsellors research integrity

NWO-I has a confidential counsellor research integrity: Freya Senf, director of operations for the Environmental Sciences Group at Wageningen University (WUR). Freya Senf can be reached via vertrouwenspersoonWI@nwo-i.nl.

The confidential counsellor research integrity wants to be easily accessible for NWO-I employees who have questions or struggle with a dilemma concerning research integrity that they cannot discuss with their immediate colleagues. The confidential counsellor can listen, advise and, if necessary, guide you. With over 1.700 employees, NWO-I is a large organisation where difficult dilemmas will occur.

Who is Freya Senf?

Senf holds a PhD in molecular microbiology. Before her current position at Wageningen University, she also worked in positions affiliated with science: as program manager at STW (now NWO TTW) and managing director of the Institute for Molecules and Materials at Radboud University. Until her transfer to WUR (at the end of 2021), she was institute manager of NWO-I institute DIFFER.

When should you approach the confidential counsellor?

You can approach the confidential counsellor via vertrouwenspersoonWI@nwo-i.nl, if you have concerns about violations of research integrity. The counsellor can provide substantive and procedural advice, for example, if it is not clear whether a certain case indeed represents a violation of research integrity and what could be done about this. The counsellor can also, where necessary, provide supervision during the formulation of a complaint. You are guaranteed complete confidentiality if you approach the confidential counsellor. Subsequent actions will only take place if the employee who took the initiative provides consent for this to the confidential counsellor.

Freya Senf: ‘Consider it your own responsibility to actively deal with research integrity issues but remember to contact me if you cannot work things out!’

What do you do when faced with a question that might be a violation of scientific integrity? In this video, two scientists show how such a dilemma pops up in front of you when you least expect it...what do you do then? Also, Freya Senf introduces herself. In this video, Thom Palstra, who has since stepped down as confidential advisor, can also be seen.