NSF SECURE Center · Cooperative Agreement No. 2403771 Research Security Briefing Vol. 2, No. 3 | January 22, 2026 | |
This Week at a Glance COGR's Forum VI Slide presentation now available Science and geopolitics: The interesting case of Canada (University World News, 1/21/2026) | |
COGR's Forum VI Slide presentation now available Slides are now available from the Council on Government Relations (COGR) January 13, 2026, virtual event, COGR Forum VI: Adapting to Change, Policy Shifts & Research Impact. The program included updates from federal agency staff as well as briefings from COGR staff and committee leaders. Research security-related highlights from the forum can be found in SECURE Research Security Briefing, vol. 2, no. 2, issued January 16, 2026. CITI Program Offers SECURE Center Training, Including RECR Supplement The CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (Section 10337) directed the National
Science Foundation (NSF) to expand Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training
requirements to include “training to raise awareness of potential research
security threats; and Federal export control, disclosure, and reporting
requirements.” NSF implemented these updates through Important Notice No.
149, with an effective date of December 2, 2025, and a grace period for
certification through December 31, 2025. Under the notice, the Authorized
Organizational Representative must certify that their institution has a plan to
provide appropriate RCR training and oversight for NSF-supported personnel,
including mentor training and mentorship, research security awareness, and federal
export control requirements. To help institutions meet these new standards, the
SECURE Center has released a new RCR Research Security Training
Supplement. In March 2026, CITI Program will offer this module as part of its Research Security offerings, which already include the SECURE Center’s Consolidated Training Module 1.2 (CTM 1.2). This will allow institutions that subscribe to the RCR series, as well as the Research Security and Export Compliance series, to incorporate the module into relevant RCR courses alongside CITI Program’s existing mentoring and export compliance modules. | |
Science and geopolitics: The interesting case of Canada (University World News, 1/21/2026) A recent analysis explores how rising geopolitical tensions, particularly involving Canada, China, and the United States, are reshaping international research collaboration and research security policy. The authors argue that Chinese-origin scholars have played an outsized role in Canada’s research ecosystem and in Canada–China collaboration, especially in STEM fields, but that expanded national security guidelines and heightened scrutiny have led to a chilling effect on partnerships, premature termination of projects, and concerns about talent loss. Bibliometric and survey evidence suggests that disengagement from China disproportionately harms Canada’s research output, visibility, and innovation capacity, while having limited impact on China. The authors argue that while research security measures are necessary, overly restrictive approaches risk undermining competitiveness and talent attraction, highlighting the need for a more balanced strategy as Canada seeks to protect national interests while sustaining an open, globally connected research system. (more) Official research security checks cause ‘thousands’ of delays (Research Professional News, 1/13/2026) The United Kingdom’s Foreign,
Commonwealth, and Development Office is facing criticism after its enhanced
research security clearance process caused “thousands” of delays for
incoming researchers and postgraduate students. According to reporting in
Research Professional News, Ministers of Parliament and others warn that slow
approvals are holding up appointments, jeopardizing research projects, and
deterring international talent from choosing the UK for academic careers. Critics argue that extended wait times for security clearances are undermining the UK’s competitiveness in the global research landscape, disrupting university hiring and project timelines, and contributing to frustration among academics from overseas. While there is broad recognition of the importance of protecting sensitive technology and research, the current backlog highlights tensions between research security policies and the need to efficiently recruit international researchers. (more) Are we reducing research security risk, or just shifting it around? (Wonkhe, 1/13/2026) In this opinion piece, the author argues that many current research security measures may be shifting risk rather than reducing it. As countries introduce tighter controls on sensitive research and international collaboration, inconsistent policies and uneven capacity across regions can push risk toward institutions or countries with fewer resources and weaker safeguards. The author warns this “waterbed effect” can fragment global research partnerships and create new vulnerabilities, particularly in lower-resource settings, and urges that sustainable risk reduction requires more coordinated, globally aligned approaches and investment in shared capacity, rather than isolated national frameworks that may inadvertently undermine collaboration and trust. (more) The fight to keep science global (American Physical Society, 1/13/2026) In a recent commentary, the author cautions that rising geopolitical tensions and expanding research security policies risk eroding the global nature of science. While acknowledging the need to protect sensitive research, the article argues that overly restrictive or fragmented approaches can hinder international collaboration, talent mobility, and the open exchange of ideas that underpin scientific progress across disciplines. The author notes that maintaining research excellence will require policies and practices that strike a careful balance between security and openness, ensuring that efforts to manage risk do not unintentionally weaken collaboration, innovation, or the ability to address shared global challenges. (more) FDP January 2026 Virtual Meeting Registration Now Open Registration is now
open for the Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) virtual
meeting, January 26-28, 2026. The agenda includes a number of research
security-related sessions. Summaries from these sessions will be provided in
a future issue of the SECURE Research Security Briefing: Monday, 1/26/2026
1:15 – 3:00 PM (ET): Federal Agency Updates
Moderator/Host: Michelle Bulls, Director, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration, NIH Speakers:
Kimberly Whittet, NIFA Chelsea Cole, USDA Kasima Garst, NIH Jason Bossie, NSF 3:15 – 5:00 PM (ET): Foreign Influence Federal Panel
Moderator/Hosts: Jim Luther, Yale University; Lisa Nichols, University of Notre Dame Speakers:
Jason Day, DOD Michelle Bulls, NIH Julie Anderson, DOE Sarah Stalker-Lehoux, NSF Tuesday, 1/27/2026
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM (ET): Research Security & Subawards Working Group
Speakers:
Taren Ellis Langford, Executive Director, Research Security& Responsible Outside Interests, The University of Arizona Jennifer J. Ford, Research
Compliance and Integrity (RCI) Operational Executive Director,
University of California San Diego 1:00 – 2:15 PM (ET): Federal Research Security Program Requirements
Moderator/Host: Lisa Nichols, Executive Director, Research Security, University of Notre Dame, RSS Co-Chair, Deputy Director, NSF SECURE Center Speakers:
Sarah Stalker-Lehoux, Acting Chief of Research Security, Strategy and Policy, National Science Foundation, and Co-Chair, FDP Research Security Subcommittee (Invited) Julie Anderson, Director, Research Technology and Economic Security, Department of Energy (Invited) Jason Day, Research Policy Director, Department of War (Invited) Jarret Cummings, Senior Advisor for Policy and Government Relations, EDUCAUSE Beth Kolko, Director, NSF SECURE
Center, Professor, Human Centered Design and Engineering, University
of Washington 2:30 – 3:45 PM (ET): DOJ Bulk Data Rule
Moderator/Host: Melissa Korf (Harvard Medical School) Wednesday, 1/28/2026
2:30 – 3:45 PM (ET): SciENcv: Operational Updates & The Addition of new NIH Common Forms Moderator/Hosts: Lori Schultz, Colorado State University; Bart Trawick, NIH Registration is now open for COGR’s virtual membership meeting, taking place February 24-27, 2026. Information regarding dates and times of research security-related sessions will be included in future SECURE Research Security Briefings as details become available. COGR February 2026 Virtual Membership Meeting Registration Now Open Registration is now open for the 2026 Academic Security and Counter Exploitation (ASCE) Program. This year is the 10th anniversary of the largest research security conference in the world: February 24 - 26, 2026. (more) RISC Bulletin Texas A&M University’s Research and Innovation Security and Competitiveness (RISC) Institute disseminates weekly RISC Media Bulletins, covering topics related to research security, foreign influence, and the intersection of science, technology, and national security. To join the distribution list for the RISC Bulletin or view previous editions, access this link for more info. | |
Researchers in Quantum and Computer Science Sought for Input on RS Resources (Rescheduled Dates) Faculty Researchers at universities,
non-profits or other research institutions, who have received federal funding and
are working in quantum computing, computer science, and related fields are invited
to volunteer for short virtual information-gathering sessions. The sessions,
organized by the NSF-funded SECURE Center, aim to gather researchers’
perspectives on challenges related to research security and international
collaboration, with a focus on developing practical, low-burden resources to
address these challenges. Participation will directly inform future guidance,
training, and tools intended to reduce administrative workload and impediments to
international collaborations while safeguarding research. Sessions are scheduled
for:
Wednesday, February 4, 2026, 12-1:00 pm ET Friday, February 6, 2026, 10-11:00 am ET Wednesday, February 11, 2026, 1-2:00 pm ET Friday, February 20, 2026, 11:00 am-12:00 pm ET Friday, February 20, 2026, 2-3:00 pm
ET Faculty researchers are encouraged to share this opportunity with research colleagues who may be interested. Questions or interest to participate should be directed to SECURE Center staff at researchsecurity@nd.edu. 2026 issues of the Research Security Briefing are available on the SECURE Center website. A combined, searchable version of all 2025 issues of the Briefing is also available. Looking to participate in NSF SECURE Center
co-creation activities or contribute to weekly briefings? The information provided by the NSF SECURE Center is intended for general research and educational purposes only. While we strive to ensure the accuracy and reliability of our content, we do not guarantee its completeness, timeliness, or applicability to specific circumstances. Each user is responsible for conducting their own risk assessments and making decisions based on independent judgment. Further, the NSF SECURE Center does not provide professional or legal advice, and users are encouraged to consult qualified professionals before making decisions based on the information found here. The NSF SECURE Center shall not be liable for any damages or costs of any type arising out of or in any way connected with your use of this information. External links are provided for convenience and do not constitute an endorsement of the content or services offered by any third-party resources. Our Work Products About Us Contact Connect University of Washington, Seattle, WA This activity is supported by NSF award #2403771 Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. National Science Foundation or other U.S. Government Agencies. / / / | |
SECURE Center Safeguarding the Entire Community in the U.S. Research Ecosystem University of Washington, Seattle, WA Supported by NSF award #2403771 Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. National Science Foundation or other U.S. Government Agencies. |