IRB Institutional Review Board

Notice:  The U.S. Department of Human Health and Services has issued revisions to the federal Common Rule on the Protection of Human Subjects, which took effect on January 21, 2019.  All research initiated after this date is being reviewed under the new rule.

Resources for learning about the new rule may be accessed from the New Human Subjects Rule Resources page.

Please direct questions to Justin London, IRB Chair. 

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is responsible for overseeing all research done at Carleton by faculty, students or staff that involves human subjects. The goals of the IRB are to ensure that researchers understand and uphold the following two standards dictated by federal law:

  1. Human subjects should not be placed at undue risk;
  2. Subjects should give uncoerced, informed consent to their participation in the research.

The "How do I apply?" page describes how to apply for IRB approval of a research project.

Other Useful Resources

  • Information about the IRB application process including: Application and Consent Forms.
  • The IRB's "Frequently Asked Questions" provides a great deal of information about human subjects research, applications to the IRB, and the application review and approval process.
  • The Campus Handbook provides background information on the legal underpinnings of the IRB's operations and on various policies related to the IRB.
  • Carleton subscribes to online training for Human Subjects Research through the CITI - Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative program, which provides investigators with a basic introduction to the principles of ethical research on human subjects.

Questions can be referred to Justin London, IRB Chair and Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Music, Cognitive Science, and the Humanities, 507-222-4397 or 1 N. College Street (4 - Music), Northfield, MN 55057.

Questions about data security and storage may be referred to Paula Lackie, IRB Technical Consultant, 507-222-5607.