Dear Colleagues,

Thank you for all that you have done to contribute to our overall efforts to ensure the health and safety of campus by swiftly ramping down most research in the face of the pandemic. We know that many faculty, staff and students are anxious to resume research, and we are now prepared to begin the gradual and controlled resumption of some on-campus activities this summer, beginning with approved laboratory-based research.

With health and safety as our continued priority, we write to share Resuming Work in Research Facilities Principles and Procedures: Stage 1, which provides guidelines for resuming research in laboratories safely. These guidelines have been developed and recommended by the Research Continuity Subcommittee of the Academic Continuity Planning group, and apply only to research that cannot be conducted remotely, representing an initial stage in the resumption of research at Brown. Guidelines for international research, field work, and in-person human subjects research are forthcoming.

Please review these protocols and procedures carefully. The process requires that researchers create and submit plans for resumed work that are in compliance with the Brown University COVID-19 Workplace Safety Policy. These plans will be reviewed by the relevant department chairs and a research committee, and will require approval by the Provost and Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration.

Please note that to ensure alignment with University and state public health guidance, PIs who obtained approval previously for highest priority essential research, including COVID-19-related research, must resubmit some forms that are described in these guidelines.

We look forward to working with you to move forward carefully and responsibly. If you have any questions, please write to resuming_research@brown.edu.

Sincerely,

Richard M. Locke, Provost
Jill Pipher, Vice President for Research