About Us

Human Research Protection Program (HRPP)

The Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) provides the administrative, regulatory, and compliance framework for human subjects research at Southern Methodist University (SMU). Managed by Research Integrity & Compliance (RIC), supports researchers throughout the study lifecycle while ensuring adherence to federal regulations, institutional policies, and ethical standards.

The HRPP is responsible for ensuring that:

  • The rights and welfare of human research participants are protected
  • Research is conducted in accordance with the ethical principles of respect for persons, beneficence, and justice (Belmont Report)
  • All research is conducted with the highest level of expertise and integrity.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

As a core component of the HRPP, the Institutional Review Board (IRB) is the administrative body responsible for the review, approval, and oversight of research involving human subjects.

The IRB reviews, approves, and monitors research studies involving human subjects to ensure their rights, safety, and welfare are protected. The IRB evaluates ethical standards and regulatory compliance, mandated for studies receiving external funding and support student research projects.

IRB Chair - Anthony Petrosino, PhD

Dr. Petrosino was appointed as the SMU IRB Chair in 2025.  Over the course of his career, Dr. Petrosino has served as Principal Investigator or Co-Principal Investigator on more than $25 million in externally funded research, supported by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education, and the Bush Institute, among others. His projects—such as Mathfinder; The National STEM Teacher Corps Pilot; and UTeach Engineering—advance innovation in project-based learning, place-based mathematics, and teacher professional development. As co-founder of the nationally acclaimed UTeach program, he helped pioneer a model of STEM teacher preparation that has been replicated at more than 50 universities across the United States.

Federalwide Assurance (FWA)

The Federalwide Assurance (FWA) is a formal, legally binding commitment by an institution to follow federal regulations, primarily the Common Rule (45 CFR 46), for protecting human subjects in research, approved by the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) and accepted across many federal agencies for federally supported or conducted human subjects research. 

An IRB registration is a formal, electronic filing with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that identifies an Institutional Review Board (IRB) responsible for overseeing research involving human subjects.  The IRB registration is required for reviewing HHS-supported or FDA-regulated research to ensure ethical compliance.

SMU FWA

FWA #: FWA00001626

Expiration Date: 8/19/2027

IRB Registration

 

An IRB registration is a formal, electronic filing with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that identifies an Institutional Review Board (IRB) responsible for overseeing research involving human subjects.  The IRB registration is required for reviewing HHS-supported or FDA-regulated research to ensure ethical compliance.

  • IRB Organization (IORG) #:  IORG0001474
  • Southern Methodist U IRB #1 IRB00001919

Compliance Statement

The SMU Compliance Statement is an official document or declaration affirming that we have an Institutional Review Board (IRB) that operates according to federal regulations and ethical guidelines for protecting human subjects.

SMU Compliance Statement

 

Contact Us

If you have any questions, complaints, and concerns about SMU Research, contact Research Compliance & Integrity (RIC) at researchcompliance@smu.edu

Research
EMAIL RIC