The director of the Research Integrity & Compliance Review Office at Colorado State University (CSU) is the new head of the U.S. Office of Research Integrity, taking over a position that has been vacant for more than a year and a half.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed for us the new appointment, which was first reported by The Report On Research Compliance today.
Kathy Partin is also a professor in the biomedical sciences department, and the assistant vice president for research at CSU. She takes over for interim director Don Wright, who has been filling in since David Wright resigned in March, 2014.
It’s not necessarily an easy gig — after Wright resigned, he released a sharp resignation letter that criticized the agency for its “remarkably dysfunctional HHS bureaucracy” and political environment.
Partin, who starts the week of December 27, has been training biomedical researchers about responsible conduct for 18 years. She has participated in misconduct investigations since 2002, both as a faculty member and administrator.
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Kathy Partin is an excellent choice for the position.
Best wishes for your success in directing ORI, Kathy
From all of us scientists who precedded you at ORI,
Alan
Congratulations.
Hope she will clean up the system.