The Research Integrity Officer (RIO) at The University of Texas at Austin is Dr. Robert A. Peterson, associate vice president for research. The Research Integrity Officer has responsibility for overseeing the inquiry and investigative process and ensuring compliance of all parties with this policy in the conduct of inquiries and investigations of misconduct in science and other scholarly research. The Research Integrity Officer is responsible for sequestering all documents and evidence and ensuring confidentiality is maintained. The RIO shall ensure that necessary and appropriate expertise is secured to carry out a thorough and authoritative evaluation of the relevant evidence. The Research Integrity Officer is responsible for taking all reasonable steps to ensure that the persons involved in the allegations or evidence are fair, competent and impartial, and without conflict of interest. The Research Integrity Officer is responsible for reporting to the appropriate federal funding agency as required. Visit the Office of Research Integrity at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services online for a list of links to all federal funding agencies′ regulations regarding research misconduct.