The Muséum's Ethics Advisory Committee
The Ethics advisory commitee (EAC) of the Museum was created in 2017 by resolution no. 2017/27 of the Board of Directors of the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle and deals with the ethical issues referred to it. It can also take up ethical issues on its own initiative if these are deemed relevant to the Muséum.
A cross-disciplinary, strategic role
What does the Ethics Advisory Committee do?
The Ethics Advisory Committee is independent and has a consultative role.
Every quarter it meets in plenary session to address ethical issues relating to all the activities and missions of the Muséum.
It appoints working groups which meet outside the sessions to address the themes selected in plenary. These working groups make recommendations which are discussed and validated in session.
The committee then issues recommendations on the ethical issues it takes up.
What the committee does not do:
- It has no operational role.
- It does not address personal matters.
- It does not grant accreditation to research projects.
Ethics, secularism, equality, scientific integrity, sexual and sexist violence, and animal welfare liaisons can be consulted for personal and specific questions (see below). There is also an Animal Experimentation Ethics Committee (CEEA Cuvier) which carries out ethical evaluations of research projects involving animals.
Who are the committee members?
The Muséum's Ethics Advisory Committee is composed of no fewer than eleven members (appointed persons); half of whom are internal to the establishment or hosted by it, and the other half external. Gender parity is respected.
It includes a president and a vice-president.
The scientific integrity liaison and the Muséum's ethics delegate are ex officio members without voting rights.
List of EAC members
President
Sophie GOEDEFROIT, Professor of Social Anthropology, Université Paris Cité. UMR 7324 - CITERES.
Vice-President
Amélie VIALET, Paleoanthropologist. Senior lecturer, MNHN - UMR 7194 - UPVD.
Members
List of EAC members, status, affiliations and specialities
- AUBERTIN Catherine, External – DR IRD, MNHN-PALOC UMR 208 IRD, Biodiversity, environmental economist, international conventions
- BARRIEL Véronique, Internal – Senior Lecturer, MNHN – UMR 7207 / Department of Origins and Evolution. MNHN Equality Officer for students and PhD candidates – Systematics
- BEAU Rémi, External – CNRS Research Fellow, UMR 7618 / IEES PARIS Sorbonne University – Philosophy, ecological transition
- BELAIDI Nadia, Internal - CNRS Research Director, MNHN UMR 7206 / Department of Societies and Environments, Anthropology of Law
- BOURGEOIS Aude, Internal - Veterinary Doctor, Director of the Menagerie - MNHN - Menagerie / DGDMJ - Veterinary Medicine, living collections
- DAVID Victor, External – CR IRD, law of nature and non-humans
- DEGEORGES Patrick, External – Vice-President of the Institute of Advanced Studies for Transformative Practices and Arts - Philosophy
- GOEDEFROIT Sophie, External – Professor, Paris Cité University - Ethnology, anthropology, Asia, Indian Ocean
- HERVOUET Loïc, External – Journalist, specialist in ethical issues, publishing series editor, interculturality, ethical regulations, media NGOs
- JAGERSCHMIDT Agathe, External – Heritage Curator, Musée de Picardie Collections, heritage, natural history, archaeology
- KOHL Linda, Internal – Senior Lecturer, MNHN – UMR 7245 / Department of Adaptation of Life – Member of the Cuvier Committee – Parasitology
- PINON Laurent, External – Head of the Department of Regulated Research Practices, Ministry of Higher Education and Research, History of Science, Regulations, Natural History
- QUACH Hélène, Internal – CNRS Research Engineer – MNHN – UMR 7206 / Department of Societies and Environments – Genetics
- VIALET Amélie, Internal – Senior Lecturer, MNHN – UMR 7194 / Department of Societies and Environments – Paleoanthropology – Prehistory
Ex officio members
- Ethics delegate: Sabrina Krief, Veterinary doctor, Professor MNHN
- Scientific integrity liaison: Franz Manni, Senior lecturer, MNHN
Reporting of recommendations and suggestions
The working groups appointed by the Muséum's Ethics Advisory Committee submit reports with their recommendations and suggestions to the committee members for adoption in plenary session and publication. The final opinions reflect the point of view of the committee members at the time of a report's publication. They are based on the documents consulted, interviews conducted and discussions held throughout the year or years of study needed to draft the reports. In addition, follow-ups to recommendations are made by sitting EAC members and/or experts on the subject in order to update the reports if needed.
Recommendations on proper conduct in the search for and display of human remains
Text prepared by Isabelle Bianquis, Sabrina Krief, Sophie-Justine Lieber. Ethics Advisory Committee of 15 April 2020. Download the report (in French)
Ethical implications of partnerships, sponsorships and the use of Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle
Text prepared by John Crowley, Michel Saint-Jalme, Laure Bonnaud-Ponticelli. Ethics Advisory Committee of 23 March 2021. Download the report (in French)
Research involving animals at the Muséum - EAC recommendations
Text prepared by: Philippe Keith, François Moutou, François Sarrazin, Aline Treillard, Cécile Vaullerin. Ethics Advisory Committee of 5 juillet 2022. Download the report (in French)
Working Groups In Progress
- Ethics in the field
- Crisis communication
- Biomimetics and bioinspiration
- Animal welfare and rat control practices
The ethics officers at the Muséum
Ethics, secularism and whistleblowing officer:
Hervé Courtil
Research integrity officer:
Franz Manni
Gender equality and sexual and gender-based violence officer:
Véronique Barriel
Veterinary officer:
Jean‑Marie Helies
Head of the French CITES Scientific Authority:
Arnaud Horellou
Head of the Nagoya Protocol unit:
Vanessa Demanoff
Head of sustainable development:
Olivier Penaud