OFFICE of RESEARCH SERVICES
Human Ethics
Guided by the cardinal principle of modern research ethics—respect for human dignity—the Research Ethics Board approves, rejects, proposes modifications to and terminates proposed or ongoing MacEwan scholarship that involves human participants.
Research that involves human participants must be approved by the Research Ethics Board (REB). Proposals can be submitted anytime, but work on projects cannot begin until after an ethics proposal has been approved.
Do I need a review?
This flowchart can help you decide if you need to complete a Research Ethics Board (REB) application for your scholarly initiative.
If your project requires REB approval, take these steps to ensure the success of your application.
Before submitting a proposal to the REB, you should be familiar with MacEwan policies and procedures pertinent to the proper selection and involvement of research participants.
The following documents are provided to assist you in developing a successful REB application.
The REB has developed a series of standard operating procedures (SOPs), based on those released in March 2016 by the Canadian Association of Research Ethics Boards (CAREB) and Network of Networks (N2).
These procedures are designed to assist you in creating and managing your ethics application and to increase the transparency of the ethics review process.
Additional SOPs related to board administration are available on request.
Delegated review
If the REB determines that your study is of minimal risk to participants, it is subject to a delegated review by select members of the board. The full board does not need to convene for this review, and you will learn the outcome within ten business days of the date you submitted your application.
Full review
If your study is found to present higher than minimal risk to participants, it is reviewed by the entire board at a convened meeting. The Ethics Officer lets you know if your study requires a full board review and invites you to attend the review meeting to discuss your project if you’d like. You can expect to hear from the board with its decision within five business days of the meeting.
Meeting dates
The REB meets to review proposals on the following dates. Applications can be submitted at any time on ROMEO, but to be eligible for review at a meeting, they must be received by that meeting date's application deadline.
| Meeting date | Submission deadline |
|---|---|
| September 16, 2024 | September 3, 2024 |
| October 21, 2024 | October 8, 2024 |
| November 18, 2024 | November 5, 2024 |
| December 9, 2024 | November 26, 2024 |
| January 28, 2025 | January 15, 2025 |
| February 25, 2025 | February 12, 2025 |
| March 18, 2025 | March 5, 2025 |
| April 29, 2025 | April 16, 2025 |
| May 27, 2025 | May 14, 2025 |
| June 17, 2025 | June 4, 2025 |
The REB will continue to review ethics applications over the summer holidays; however, meetings are called on an ad-hoc basis should an application require full board review.
Apply for REB approval using the online system ROMEO.
MacEwan University faculty
If you are a MacEwan faculty member, log in to the research portal using your MacEwan ID and password.
MacEwan University students and external researchers
If you are a student or external researcher, you need to register for a ROMEO account before logging in.
REB Members
| Member | Faculty/School, Department |
|---|---|
| Albena Pergelova, Chair | Business: International Business, Marketing, Strategy and Law |
| Miranda Giacomin, Vice-Chair | Arts & Science: Psychology |
| Cynthia Puddu, Vice-Chair | Health & Community Studies: Allied Health & Human Performance |
| Ozlem Cankaya | Health & Community Studies: Human Services & Early Learning |
| Rachael Erdmann | Community Member |
| Jenanne Ferguson |
Arts & Science: Anthropology, Economics & Political Science |
| Rayanne Haines |
Fine Arts & Communication: Arts & Cultural Management |
| Michelle Jarick | Arts & Science: Psychology |
| Jennifer Long | Arts & Science: Anthropology, Economics & Political Science |
| Annelise Lyseng | Wellness & Psychological Services |
| Lisa McKendrick-Calder | Nursing: Bachelor of Science in Nursing |
| Alex Penney | Arts & Science: Psychology |
| Evert Poor | Community Member |
| Natalia Rohatyn-Martin |
Health & Community Studies: Human Services & Early Learning |
| Treena Swanston | Arts & Science: Anthropology, Economics & Political Science |
| Kaitlyn Towle-Straub | Arts & Science: Physical Science in Chemistry |
All researchers who submit an REB application must complete the federal government’s TCPS-2 tutorial before REB approval can be granted.
ROMEO
MacEwan University’s online ethics application system, ROMEO, supports you throughout your project, from submitting and modifying your application to renewing and closing your study. Applications can be submitted anytime.
Proposals that were reviewed and approved prior to the implementation of the ROMEO system in August 2017 have been uploaded for you. These projects are managed within this new system.
The following guides explain the application process and help you manage your project after it has been approved:
How to access ROMEO
If you are a MacEwan faculty or staff member, and it is your first time submitting an application, please register for ROMEO by completing the registration form. Once your registration has been processed, you can log in to the Research Portal using your MacEwan ID and password.
If you are a student or external researcher, you need to register for a ROMEO account before logging in.