What is Research Security?

Research security, as defined by the U.S. federal government, safeguards the research enterprise from actions that could harm national security or economic competitiveness. In practical terms, this means that research security protects the U.S research enterprise from theft, foreign interference, and ethical violations.

Countries and Entities of Concern

While most international affiliations do not present a security risk, the U.S. federal government has raised concerns about the efforts of certain countries to inappropriately influence the U.S research enterprise and acquire sensitive research information through espionage, cyberattacks, or even seemingly benign collaborations.

At the present time, the U.S. federal government has identified the following countries as “countries of concern:”

• People’s Republic of China
• Iran
• North Korea
• Russian Federation

The U.S federal government has also identified certain universities, companies, and recruitment programs within these countries as higher risk. If you are planning a research collaboration with colleagues at institutions in a country of concern, we encourage you to connect with our Export Control and Research Security teams early in the process. They can provide guidance and conduct a Research Security Review to ensure compliance with relevant regulations.

Navigating Research Security

These concerns raise important considerations for researchers and institutions alike. Understanding and mitigating potential risks is crucial for protecting our research. The U.S. federal government also wants to prevent undue influence on researchers, which is where foreign entities might try to sway research agendas or gain access to valuable information.

This increased focus on research security translates to:

• Greater scrutiny of international interests and collaborations: It is imperative that researchers be transparent and disclose all foreign affiliations, collaborations, outside financial interests, funding sources, and activities.
• Prohibition on participating in Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs (MFTRP): The U.S. federal government and corresponding University policy RA20 prohibits individuals involved in federally funded research from participating in MFTRPs.
• More rigorous risk assessments: Funding agencies are conducting more thorough risk assessments before awarding grants.
• Stricter grant requirements: Grant agreements may include specific research security clauses, potentially restricting certain activities or requiring data protection measures, or requiring risk mitigation plans. Federal funding agencies may have various requirements for Research Security Training for those seeking federal funding.
• Heightened emphasis on cybersecurity: Researchers need to be vigilant in protecting their data from unauthorized access and cyberattacks.