Key Researcher Responsibilities

Role:

Responsibilities:

All Researchers, including student researchers who are conducting research in a Workforce Member capacity

• Practice good cyber hygiene: 
  • Keep your devices and applications patched and up to date
  • Use strong passphrases — make them long, complex, or both. To help you manage them, UC Berkeley offers free LastPass Premium for all current students, faculty, and staff!
  • Secure all devices with a strong password or PIN, and set them to lock after a few minutes of inactivity (15 min max, shorter is better)
  • Encrypt anything that contains sensitive information
  • Turn on built-in anti-malware software and firewall
  • Back up important files and data
  • Use separate accounts for privileged (administrator) and non-privileged (user) access
  • Follow your PI, lab, or supervising instructor’s security protocols to protect the confidentiality of research subjects and research data. These may include requirements beyond those listed above.

• Complete required cybersecurity training

• Report security incidents and respond to security notices

Project Lead: Principal Investigators, Project Directors, faculty sponsors, supervising instructors, mentors -- the individual ultimately responsible for the research

• Determine the classification of your research data and systems. Contacts: CPHS | Research IT
• Identify and meet any confidentiality, data security, or incident response obligations relating to the research data
• For research involving Protected Data:
  • Work with Research IT on a plan to meet Data Use Agreements and other security and confidentiality requirements prior to creating or receiving data
  • Develop clear security protocols for your Researchers to follow, and ensure they receive proper training
  • Review access rights annually

Use IT tools, software, and services that are already approved for campus use whenever possible. Research IT may be able to help with additional tools. Work with your department’s Buyer or Procurement if you must purchase something new.

Additional Roles

For responsibilities outside of the Researcher role, please see these other “key responsibilities” guides:

| Faculty | Student | Staff | Everyone |