- Vice President for Research & Economic Development
- Available Technologies
- Conflict of Interest
- Entrepreneurship
- Export Controls
- Funding Opportunities
- Graduate Programs
- Grants & Study Leaves
- Proposal Development
- Research Centers
- Research Committees
- Research Council
- Research Policies
- Responsible Conduct of Research Training (RCR)
Useful Links
Invention to Innovation
Support Innovation at Mason.
Faculty Research Expertise Database
Is your research newsworthy?
Contact University Relations.
Conflict of Interest
In fulfilling George Mason University's commitment to its research, education, and service missions, Mason regularly encourages its faculty to engage in relationships with external organizations and communities. These entities may include small businesses, industry, non-profits, government, etc. Many aspects of these interactions are seen as pivotal in creating, promoting, and supporting the research, educational, and service missions of the university. However, these relationships with external organizations must be legal and ethical and cannot create conflicts of interest that could result in violation of federal regulations or of Virginia law. Under Virginia law actions can include both criminal penalties and civil sanctions.
This site has been developed by the Conflict of Interest Committee to assist faculty who have questions or concerns relating to conflicts of interest. On the site you will find links to state law and federal regulations, a form to help assess whether or not a person might have a conflict, the charge to the Conflict of Interest Committee, FAQ's, and some best practices with regard to avoiding or managing conflicts, and suggestions for further reading. We want this site to be useful, so please feel free to communicate any ideas or issues to one of the committee members.
The committee cannot offer nor should any guidance given be construed as legal advice. Advisory opinions regarding the Commonwealth of Virginia Conflict of Interest Act may be obtained from the Attorney General pursuant to §2.2-3121 of the Code of Virginia.
Committee Members:
- David Anderson, College of Education and Human Development
- Geri Grant, Department of Micro and Molecular Biology, College of Science
- Hugh Gusterson, Department of Sociology, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Keith Howell, Office of Research and Program Evaluation, College of Health and Human Services
- Kevin McCrohan, School of Management
- Jennifer Murphy, Director, Office of Technology Transfer
Advisor to the Committee: Tom Moncure, Office of University Counsel
Useful Links:
- Conflict of Interest Committee Charge
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Questionnaire to Assess Potential Conflict of Interest
- Best Practices
- Policy on Financial Conflicts of Interest under Virginia Law
- Policy on Financial Interests in Sponsored Programs (for projects funded by the NIH, FDA, or NSF)
- Suggestions for Further Reading
- Virginia COI Act - Waivers Application to Higher Education