Re: concept of the Co-Principal Investigator Herbert B. Chermside 08 Mar 1999 11:22 EST
Long, long ago there was the concept of "Corresponding PI". This was the PI among a group of co-PI's who got saddled with tha administrative burden of handling all the project's aqdministration, while all the co-PI's shared equally in the science. Many researchers hark back to this in their own concept of "co-PI". NIH recognizes only one PI because the responsibility for the administrative -- and scientific -- decisions which have to be made on a project should be the responsiobility of one individual. Some other agencies recognize co-investigators as equals, at least scientifically, and have no recognition of a single individual being "responsible" (though they often correspond with the first name listed). So, an institution's treatment of the "co-investigator" concept depends on hot the institution itself approaches management of research projects. In my experience, unless there is a single individual with both the responsibility and the authority to manage the project, necessary things won't get done, and everybody thinks, "George was supposed to do that!" So, whatever the name you give the position, one person should be in charge and is best called "PI", and other scientific colleagues (with heavy scientific responsibilities in the project) should be called "co-PI", and the relationship among the researchers is the responsibility of the PI. Of course, the concept of credit comes up, especially if promotion, tenure, and salary review rely heavily on individuals' research activity. If the sponsored programs office's records are relied on as a record of the activities toward P&T&$, then the question of what activities are recorded and with what "title" is one which should be answered in collaboration with senior academic decision makers. The duties of a co-PI probably are, scientifically, technically and academically, on a level with the PI (not the same duties, or why two people), without the additional management duty of formal leadership. Chuck At 10:29 AM 3/8/99 -0500, you wrote: >I'm looking for a good definition of a Co-Principal Investigator. I >noticed in the NIH Manual that a Co-PI is not formally recognized by >NIH. NIH staff conduct official business only with the PI and AIO. > >I'd like to know how you would define the roles/duties of the Co-PI on a >grant. > >Thank you, > >Eleanor Cicinsky >Temple University > > >====================================================================== > Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including > subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available > via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists") >====================================================================== > Herbert B. Chermside, CRA Director, Sponsored Programs Administration Virginia Commonwealth University PO BOX 980568 Richmond, VA 23298-0568 Express Delivery Only: Sanger Hall, Rm. 1-073 11th & Marshall Streets Richmond, VA 23219 Voice: 804-828-6772 Fax 804-828-2521 OFFICE e-mail xxxxxx@VCU.EDU Personal e-mail xxxxxx@vcu.edu http://views.vcu.edu/views/ospa/ ====================================================================== Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists") ======================================================================