Research Integrity & Ethics Advisors

Research Integrity & Ethics Advisors (RIEAs) are senior academic staff who are experienced in research and research administration. They are not discipline-based, are independent of UNE’s Schools and report directly to the Deputy Vice Chancellor of Research (DVCR).

RIEAs are selected for the position because they:

• Have significant research experience
• Are familiar with accepted practice in research and the concept of research quality
• Understand UNE’s integrity processes and the CCR
• Have good analytical skills
• Have empathy
• Are able to communicate effectively, with highly developed listening, speaking and writing skills.

What RIEAs do

The RIEA’s role is to:

• Provide advice to any member of the UNE community, including people from outside their academic unit or discipline, who has questions or concerns about research conduct
• Immediately refer potentially serious/major breaches to the RIO, particularly if there appear to be safety risks to the inquirer, research participants including animals, the environment or to UNE
• Refer an inquirer to the appropriate UNE units if the matter is clearly beyond the scope of research integrity.

What RIEAs don’t do

• Attempt to mediate or resolve a concern,
• Predict the outcome of any issue raised
• Contact the person who is the subject of the complaint
• Investigate or assess potential breaches of research integrity.

UNE Research Integrity & Ethics Advisors

Professor Neil Argent
School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences
Email: nargen@une.edu.au
Ph: 6773 2803

Dr Anna-Marie Babey
School of Rural Medicine 
Email: ababey@une.edu.au
Ph: 6773 2333

Dr Matthew Tighe
Email: matthew.tighe@une.edu.au
Ph: 6773 2180

Research Integrity Office
Email: researchintegrity@une.edu.au 
Ph: 6773 5594

Where a concern relates to human research or animal ethics approved projects, or animal welfare, initial enquiries should be made with the Chair of the respective Ethics Committee in the first instance.