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Research Visitors

The Office for Research advises on the process for research visitor appointments and approval, hiring activities are coordinated by the schools and units.
Please refer to the individual school or University Research Institutes and Centers (URIC) submission procedures; Each school may have additional requirements and offer further guidance in this area.

Research Visitor includes the following titles:

DEFINITIONS

  • Visiting Scholar
    An individual sponsored or employed elsewhere, usually by another university, industry or government agency. Visiting Scholars typically hold a PhD, MD, or equivalent terminal degree in their discipline or have received equivalent professional recognition. The sole purpose of such a Visiting Scholar appointment is to conduct research at Northwestern. Visiting Scholars are at Northwestern for one year or less; appointments may be renewed.
    Visiting Scholars are usually paid by their sponsoring organization.  Visiting Scholars are not paid a salary or employed by Northwestern.
    Visiting Scholars must provide documentation from his/her/their affiliated sponsoring entity at the time of the initial appointment and prior to each reappointment.
    In some cases, a living allowance may be provided. Such funding is considered financial aid for living and/or travel expenses and is not tied to services rendered to Northwestern.
  • Visiting Research Collaborator
    An individual who may periodically visit Northwestern in order to learn research techniques, use specialized facilities and/or collaborate with Northwestern faculty.
    Visiting Research Collaborators must have current, paid employment at the start-up company of an existing Northwestern faculty member. Visiting Research Collaborators cannot simultaneously have Northwestern faculty, staff or student status. Visiting Researcher Collaborators are appointed for only one year at a time These appointments are renewable.
    Visiting Research Collaborators must provide documentation of paid employment at the Northwestern faculty start-up company at the time of initial appointment and prior to each reappointment.
  • Visiting Pre-doctoral Fellow
    An individual who is a current doctoral degree-seeking graduate student from another institution who is studying at Northwestern for a short period, working with faculty to learn research techniques or to use specialized facilities.
    Visiting Predoctoral Fellows are not employed or paid a salary by Northwestern, nor do they have Northwestern student status.
    Visiting Pre-doctoral Fellows must provide documentation of enrollment at the time of initial appointment and prior to each reappointment. In some cases, a living allowance may be provided. Such funding is considered financial aid for living and/or travel expenses and is not tied to services rendered to Northwestern.
  • Research Affiliate
    Research professionals employed by Affiliated Institutions. Research Affiliates are not paid by or employed by Northwestern, although they may be involved in collaborative research with Northwestern investigators in Northwestern facilities. They typically hold the PhD, MD, or equivalent terminal degree in their discipline or have received equivalent professional recognition. Research Affiliates may be appointed for a term of up to three years; such positions are always dependent upon their continued employment at the Affiliated Institution. [An institution with which the University has a formal affiliation, such as Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago, excluding Argonne National Laboratory].

  • "NAISE" Institute Fellow
    Appointments through the Northwestern University Argonne National Laboratory Institute of Science and Engineering (NAISE). https://www.naise.northwestern.edu/
  • Foreign National
    An individual who is not a United States citizen, permanent resident alien of the United States (i.e., “green card holder”), lawfully-admitted temporary resident alien or refugee, or other protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

  • Living Allowance
    Funds provided to a Research Visitor to assist in covering the cost of living while resident at Northwestern University during the Research Visitor appointment. A Living Allowance is never tied to services rendered to Northwestern and is usually paid from non-restricted funds. A Living Allowance may be paid from restricted funding only when explicitly allowed by the sponsor or donor.

  • Research Statement
    A brief letter from the Sponsoring PI (no more than one page) that details how the Visiting Scholar would contribute to research activity within the department and gain new skills through their collaboration with Northwestern faculty.

  • Affiliation/Sponsoring Entity Letter
    A written statement on official letterhead from appointee’s sponsoring institution that confirms, 1) the appointee’s status per the institution (i.e. employed, retired, student status/expected graduation date, etc.) and 2) the intention of sponsorship throughout the duration of the specified appointment period.
    The letter should include the name and contact information of an individual from the sponsoring institution who can be contacted for verification.

POLICY and FORMS

(*) The institutional Research Visitors Policy is currently being reviewed and updated.

SUBMISSION PROCEDURES

All Research Visitor appointments are initiated through the Research Visitor Appointment Recommendation Form and given final approval by the Office for Research (OR).
Hiring activities are coordinated by the schools and units.
Research Visitors are neither employees nor students of Northwestern University; Research Visitor appointments requiring co-terminus employment by, or sponsorship of, an external entity must be terminated as soon as such employment or sponsorship ends.
No oral or written offer of appointment may be extended until all required screenings, approvals have been received, and no payroll action initiating the appointment can be taken until all conditions in the appointment process have been satisfied. 


The Sponsoring Principal Investigator, Department Chair/Division Chief/Center Director and Dean take full responsibility for the appointee, including provision of facilities and equipment throughout duration of appointment.
Please refer to the individual School or University Research Institutes and Centers (URIC) submission procedures; Each school may have additional requirements and offer further guidance in this area.


All Research Visitor appointments are initiated through the Research Visitor Appointment Recommendation Form and given final approval by Research HR Administration • Office for Research.
School and University Research Institutes and Centers (URIC) must submit requests to barbarab@northwestern.edu, researchvisitors@northwestern.edu, including the following:

  • Recommendation (RVA) form, including legal name as listed in the biographical passport;
  • Affiliation/Sponsoring Entity Letter;
  • Research Statement: A brief letter from the Sponsoring PI (no more than one page) that details how the Visiting Scholar would contribute to research activity within the department and gain new skills through their collaboration with Northwestern faculty;
  • Visitor’s current CV.

Northwestern Export Controls & International Compliance • Office for Research
Export Controls & International Compliance (ECIC) conducts screening of both foreign nationals and affiliations against all publicly-available restricted party lists and can be consulted for assistance.
Please note that Remote appointments from sanctioned countries are not authorized.
Pre-screenings are available upon request sent to researchvisitors@northwestern.edu
 

Office of International Student and Scholar Services (OISS)
If the appointee is a foreign national, the individual must have an appropriate visa as required by the U.S. Department of State.  This visa must be active for the entire time the Visitor will hold a Northwestern appointment.  The Office of International Student and Scholar Services (OISS) provides assistance in obtaining the necessary visa to extend an offer for a foreign national to be appointed as a Research Visitor.  As obtaining a visa is a lengthy process, OISS should be contacted as early in the appointment process as possible.

Appointment, Onboarding (NetID, Email, Northwestern ID-Wildcard…), and Termination
A Northwestern NetID and email address is automatically created for a new employee once the hire is processed by HR.
The initiating department/school or center should follow the appointment procedure for routing the Position Data/Appointment Form to HR-Ops and follow hiring/onboarding process.
Research Visitor appointments requiring co-terminus employment by, or sponsorship of, an external entity must be terminated as soon as such employment or sponsorship ends.

Termination Position Data/Appointment Form must be submitted to HR-Ops if a Research Visitor appointment is cancelled, terminated prior to its end date.


Additional Responsibilities of the Principal Investigator (PI), initiating school or center:

  • Informing the Research Visitor that he/she is subject to all Northwestern University policies;
  • Ensuring that the Research Visitor and any accompanying family members have adequate medical insurance coverage during the period of appointment; Northwestern University Visiting Scholar Plan (VSP) is now offered by Cigna Studywell/Cigna Global Health Benefits and administered by Gallagher Benefit Services (GBS). For additional information, please contact Diana Fox at 949-317-5917 or email UniversityServices.GBS.NUVSBP@ajg.com.
  • Directing the Research Visitor to complete the Visitor and Volunteer Lab Agreement form;
  • Providing proper oversight to the Research Visitor, registering the Research Visitor to Laboratory Research Safety Profile (LUMEN), and assuring completion of the requisite training expected of all lab scientists for that lab at Northwestern;
  • Notifying the Institutional Review Board Office and Institutional Committee on Animal Use and Care Office if the visitor’s research will involve working with human and/or animal subjects. Policies and training are applicable to Research Visitors engaged in research utilizing human participants or animals in research.
  • Notifying the Research Visitor of the Policy on Reporting Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect and acknowledge their status as a Mandated Reporter; Research Visitors, regardless of citizenship or place of residence, must complete the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Paper Acknowledgement of Mandated Reporter Status(Printable PDF).
  • Ensuring the Research Visitor completes the University’s “Harassment and Discrimination Prevention” online course ID: HRD783-200, available through myHR Learn.

RESOURCES

If you have any questions on the Research Visitors Policy, you may send an e-mail to barbarab@northwestern.edu.

Barbara Beeuwsaert coordinates the RVA intake, Restricted Party Screening.

OTHER VISITING APPOINTMENTS, not included in the Research Visitors Policy

Visiting Postdoctoral Fellows
An individual with a recently granted degree of PhD, MD, or the equivalent professional degree. To be considered Visiting, the individual must hold a postdoctoral appointment at another institution or university. Visiting Postdoctoral Fellows are not employees of the University and are unpaid. They must receive their funding directly from their home institution. Visiting status is only approved upon receipt of documentation of external (to Northwestern) appointment and support.
The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs advises on the process for postdoctoral fellow appointments and hiring activities are coordinated by the schools and units.
https://postdocs.northwestern.edu/for-administrators/

Visiting Faculty Appointments
Visiting Faculty Appointments are generally held by faculty with appointments at another academic institution. Appointments may range in duration from one to 36 months. School should refer to their individual school-based policies.