Research Data Security

SUMMARY TABLE: PROTECTING YOUR RESEARCH DATA

The security of information at Princeton University is directed by the Data Governance Steering Committee, which oversees the actions of the Privacy Policy Committee, the Information Security Policy, and the Data Management Advisory Group.   Researchers in the biomedical as well as social and behavioral sciences are expected to be proactive in designing and performing research to ensure that the dignity, welfare, and privacy of individual research subjects are protected and that information about an individual remains confidential. The protection of research data is a fundamental responsibility, rooted in regulatory and ethical principles and should be upheld by all data stewards.

The Research Data Security Guidelines pertain to researchers and research team members who obtain, access or generate research data, regardless of whether the data is associated with funding or not. These guidelines help Princeton University researchers understand the sensitivity of the data they are collecting and develop appropriate data protection plans, know the appropriate mediums and places to store data, understand how and when to dispose of data, prepare their research data for public use, understand how to keep research data secure while traveling, and what to do in the event of theft, loss, or unauthorized use of confidential research data.   These guidelines can also be used as part of the data management planning process in conjunction with other tools such as the DMPTool to help meet federal funding agency requirements and prepare research data for public use.