Approved by the Board of Directors on December 14, 2021
The Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) is the leading nonprofit membership organization dedicated to understanding earthquake risk and increasing earthquake resilience in communities worldwide. Our diverse multidisciplinary membership includes researchers, practitioners, and students in engineering, geoscience, social science, architecture, planning, government, emergency management, public health, and policymaking.
EERI’s membership reflects the diversity of professions that contribute to advancing earthquake engineering. We recognize that our members’ professional work and activities may be guided by the ethics and professional conduct policies and standards of practice promulgated by one or more credentialing organizations or licensing bodies. These organizations include (but are not limited to): American Geophysical Union; the American Institute of Architects; the American Planning Association; the American Society of Civil Engineers; the National Council of Structural Engineers Association; the Seismological Society of America; state, regional, and local licensing boards; and members’ home institutions.
We intend for this Ethics Policy to outline principles of ethical conduct by EERI members. Moreover, we intend for this document not to replace, but to complement ethical principles of other organizations to which EERI members belong.
PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
EERI aspires for its members to conduct themselves with the highest standards of scientific, professional, and personal integrity and responsibility. This includes:
- EERI members should act with honesty in the interest of the advancement of earthquake engineering, take full responsibility for the trustworthiness of their work according to the applicable state of knowledge and standards of care at the time the work was done, and treat others with courtesy, equity, and fairness.
- EERI members should observe and abide by all applicable state and federal laws and regulations. EERI members should recognize the importance of all laws and regulations related to earthquake engineering in protecting and promoting the best interests of the public and furthering the critical work of EERI members.
- EERI members should abide by all scientific and other publication policies including EERI policies, peer review standards, and scientific integrity. EERI members should strive to adhere to the regulations and policies of their respective credentialing and licensing bodies.
- EERI members should acknowledge in their publications and presentations the names and roles of individuals and organizations who made significant contributions to their work.
- EERI members should disclose financial, personal, professional, and other conflicts of interest that could influence the manner in which others may interpret their work on EERI committees, publications, proposals, meeting presentations, and public communications, as well as in all EERI honors and awards activities.
- EERI members should create and uphold a safe, open, and professional environment for learning, conducting, and communicating earthquake engineering and science with integrity, respect, fairness, trustworthiness, and transparency at all organizational levels and in all professional endeavors.
- EERI members should follow EERI’s Code of Conduct when participating in EERI events and activities.
DISCRIMINATION, HARASSMENT, AND BULLYING
EERI opposes and rejects discrimination or harassment on the basis of personal identity or personal characteristics, including but not limited to that based on ethnic or national origin, race, religion, citizenship, language, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, age or economic status, or any other characteristic. In addition, EERI opposes all forms of bullying including threatening, humiliating, coercive or intimidating conduct that causes harm to, interferes with, or sabotages professional activity, people, and careers. Discrimination, harassment or bullying in any professional or learning environment is unacceptable and constitutes professional misconduct under this Policy, irrespective of whether such conduct constitutes a violation of law.
HONORS, AWARDS, AND LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
Each candidate or nominee for an EERI Honor, any other type of EERI recognition, or a leadership position, is expected to disclose any past allegations or institutional proceedings resulting in a finding of professional misconduct, or any current formal complaints related to the candidate’s professional conduct, even if the matter is still pending.
PUBLICATION ETHICS
EERI partners with SAGE Journals to publish Earthquake Spectra, the professional, peer-reviewed journal that serves as the publication of record for the development of earthquake engineering practice, earthquake codes and regulations, earthquake public policy, and earthquake investigation reports. EERI is committed to working with SAGE Journals to uphold the integrity of the academic record and encourages authors to review and stay current with the Committee on Publication Ethics’ International Standards for Authors and the Publication Ethics page on the SAGE Author Gateway.
When using EERI’s mailing lists or member directory, EERI’s expectations for professional conduct apply to all list subscribers and users.
Acknowledgment: EERI has adapted the ethics policies of the Seismological Society of America and American Geophysical Union in creating this Policy. We are grateful for their permission to use their documents.
A PDF of this document is available here.
