This resource page is to provide information on a variety of topics that may be useful to researchers and SJIPH project teams. If you have any questions, feel free to contact SJIPH.

Table of Contents

Beginning Research at your Institution

Sponsored Research Approval
A Sponsored Program is defined as any externally funded research or scholarly activity that has a defined scope of work and/or set of objectives, which provides a basis for Sponsor expectation (source: Rutgers University). Rowan University, and Rutgers University have dedicated offices which approve and manage any request for sponsored research, such as grant funding from SJIPH. It is strongly recommended that you set up a planning meeting with your University’s pre-award contact well in advance of any proposal submission you are considering. This will ensure that you receive the necessary guidance and approvals throughout the funding cycle.

Rowan University: Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP)
Rowan University Office of Sponsored Programs | Rowan Research | Rowan University
The mission of the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) is to provide Rowan University faculty with relevant information and guidance for the submission of quality proposals to federal, state, and industrial sponsors, and to provide effective stewardship of awarded funds.  Any proposed project, whether submitted to the government, foundation, or corporate funding source, must have institutional approvals and reviewed by your OSP Proposal Specialist prior to submission. This includes projects where Rowan will be a subaward to another institution. A list of staff and locations is available at About Us | Rowan Research | Rowan University

Rowan University uses the web-based Cayuse Research Suite to manage portions of its proposal and grant activity. Cayuse | Rowan Research | Rowan University

Rutgers University: Office for Research and Sponsored Programs
Pre-Award | Rutgers Research
The Rutgers University Office for Research and Sponsored Programs pre-award team is responsible for all pre-award and non-financial, post-award functions related to all sponsored projects. All proposals to Federal and State agencies, industry and business entities, foundations and nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and other external organizations require institutional approval prior to submission to an external funding agency. Working with Research and Sponsored Programs prior to proposing or submitting proposals will ensure that potential problems are resolved in advance, the application packages meets the requirements specified by the Sponsor and result in a shorter, smoother turn-around and implementation of the research project.

Please contact the Grants Specialist assigned to your unit as soon as the decision to submit a proposal has been made. Grant Specialists | Rutgers Research

The Research Administration and Proposal Submission System (RAPSS) is used university-wide for pre-award grant and contract functions, such as electronic endorsement of proposals and submission through grants.gov to federal agencies. Use of RAPSS is mandatory for all new submissions of research proposals, corporate contracts, and associated items.

Research Administration and Proposal Submission System (RAPSS) | Rutgers Research

IRB Information

What is IRB: IRB or Institutional Review Board is an ethics committee/review board at an institution that reviews research studies involving human subjects. The purpose is to ensure that the proposed research meets ethical standards, follows institutional policies, and protects research participants. The main goal is to protect the participants from physical or psychological harm, ensure participants are fully informed and voluntary, and maximize safety  of potential participants. IRBs are most commonly used in the health and social sciences.

IRB at SJIPH: At SJIPH all research projects involve human subjects and are required to receive IRB approval. The IRB approval process can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months depending on the project and institution. Below there are resources for obtaining IRB approval through the appropriate institution (Rowan university, Rutgers University).

Data Sharing Policy

Purpose and Scope
The South Jersey Institution of Population Health (SJIPH) is committed to promoting transparency, advancing research, and fostering collaboration through responsible data sharing. The dissemination of findings and data sharing are integral to the mission and values of SJIPH. This policy outlines the principles, guidelines, and procedures for sharing data within SJIPH and with external parties, ensuring the protection of privacy, rights, and confidentiality of all research participants.

  • Purpose of the policy: This policy aims to facilitate the sharing of data to enhance research capabilities, support evidence-based decision-making, and improve public health outcomes.
  • Scope and applicability: This policy applies to all data generated, collected, or managed by SJIPH, including but not limited to personal data, research data, and proprietary information.

Data Request Process
If you are interested in using data from an SJIPH project, please contact SJIPH to be connected with the Principal Investigator (PI) of the project. Data requests are subject to the discretion of the PI, who will make the final decision regarding the release of data.

PI Responsibilities
The PI is responsible for ensuring that any use of the data complies with the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) guidelines applicable to the project

Disclaimer
Project findings from data generated with SJIPH funding do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Institute. SJIPH reserves the right to deny access to project data.

Obligation to Share Results
It is required that dissemination materials–e.g., papers, posters, publications-be (first) shared with SJIPH (before being made public elsewhere).

Acknowledgement
The data was collected with SJIPH funding. This research project was not funded by the South Jersey Institute for Population Health (SJIPH). The opinions, findings, and views presented are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of SJIPH or the Rowan University/Rutgers-Camden Board of Governors.

Contact Information
For any questions or concerns, please contact us at info@sjiph.org.

Publications   

Publishing is an important part of the dissemination process of research. To help streamline the process, information on how to publish through Rowan University and Rutgers University has been provided.

Budgets can use funding for open access publishing

How to submit publications for open access

Funding Acknowledgement Required for SJIPH funded projects

Our team at SJIPH has prepared a required statement of funding acknowledgment for all publication and dissemination activities of research project results (e.g. manuscripts, posters, presentations, etc.).

“This research project was funded by the South Jersey Institute for Population Health (SJIPH). The opinions, findings, and views presented are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official policies of SJIPH or the Rowan University/Rutgers-Camden Board of Governors.”

Data Sources

At SJIPH, we have consolidated links to data sources of information about South Jersey. Each link leads to a different database that may be useful.

City Health Dashboard
Description: Created by our team at NYU Grossman School of Medicine’s Department of Population Health, and with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the City Health Dashboard launched in 2018. The Dashboard now offers data on over 40 measures of health and drivers of health for over 970 cities across the U.S. – all cities over population 50,000 plus a growing set of smaller places.

Health Sciences Databases | Rutgers University Libraries
Description: This is the Rutgers University libraries Health sciences database.

https://www.lib.rowan.edu/campbell/start-your-research
Description: This is the Rowan University Campbell library database.

nj.gov/health/chs/
Description: The Center for Health Statistics & Informatics (CHS) is a program in the Office of Population Health. CHS is responsible for compiling and releasing statistical information on the health of New Jersey residents. CHS publishes official reports on births, deaths, chronic illnesses, injuries, and behavioral risk factors, among other types of information. CHS provides analytical support to state and other governmental agencies to support population health initiatives.

Data & Tools – All of Us Research Hub (researchallofus.org)

Health Data | County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Description: The All of Us Research Hub includes powerful data and analysis tools to help researchers with their work. As the program grows, more data types and tools will be available for researchers.

Social Explorer | Rutgers University Libraries
Description:Social Explorer provides interactive demographic data. Its mapping tools allow data to be easily visualized, and it also allows users to extract data table reports. Users may generate custom reports and maps, and they may create personal accounts to save their reports and maps.

State Health Assessment Data (NJSHAD)
Description: The New Jersey State Health Assessment Data (NJSHAD) System, maintained by the Center for Health Statistics and Informatics (CHS), provides on-demand access to public health datasets, statistics, and information on the health status of New Jerseyans.