The COGR virtual meeting took place February 24-27, 2026.  Slide presentations and session recordings are available on the COGR website.  Note that you must be logged into the COGR Portal in order to view the recordings and recordings are available to registered attendees only.

Highlights from the 2026 Academic Security and Counter Exploitation (ASCE) Conference will be included in next week’s NSF SECURE Center Research Security Briefing.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) dropped charges against three Chinese scientists affiliated with the University of Michigan who were accused of helping a colleague smuggle biological materials from China into the United States for research purposes. The materials, mostly small, transparent laboratory worms, were ultimately determined not to pose a danger, though the case had initially been framed by U.S. officials as a national security concern. After the scientists spent more than three months in jail, the DOJ unexpectedly dropped the charges and the researchers returned to China. Defense attorneys said the dismissal followed intervention by China’s consulate in Chicago and emphasized that the scientists lacked malicious intent, while federal officials declined to comment on the circumstances behind the decision. (more)

The European Commission has introduced a new set of initiatives aimed at strengthening both science diplomacy and research security across the European Union. Central to the effort is a proposed EU framework for science diplomacy that would help Member States coordinate international research engagement more strategically.  The initiative is intended to enhance Europe’s competitiveness, promote democratic values, and support cooperation on global challenges while safeguarding strategic interests.  Alongside the proposal, the Commission released the Research Security Monitor 2025, which provides a baseline assessment of research security policies across the EU and highlights the growing awareness of risks associated with international research collaboration. The measures are part of a broader push to maintain open scientific cooperation while strengthening safeguards and ensuring that Europe remains an attractive and secure partner for global research and innovation. (more)

A new U.S. Department of Education foreign funding disclosure portal, intended to increase transparency about international donations and contracts, may be undermined by significant gaps in the data it provides. According to accounting expert Michael Bass, the portal, introduced in 2020 to report foreign gifts and contracts under Section 117 of the Higher Education Act, no longer provides key information that had been included in earlier reporting systems, such as names of foreign entities, the purpose of the funding, and transaction dates. As a result, Bass argues it has become difficult to determine the true sources or intended uses of foreign funding, even as reported totals continue to grow. The Department of Education recently reported that U.S. institutions received $5.2 billion in reportable gifts and contracts in 2025, contributing to a cumulative total of $67.6 billion since 1986.
 

Bass contends that the lack of identifying information and dates makes meaningful analysis of the data nearly impossible and limits the ability to monitor potential foreign influence. He notes that billions of dollars reported through the portal since 2020 cannot be easily traced, and that inconsistencies and unexplained changes in previously reported figures further complicate the data. For example, totals attributed to some countries and universities appear to decline between reports without explanation, and some institutions that previously appeared in the database no longer do. While the Department of Education has described the portal as providing “unprecedented visibility” into foreign funding in higher education, critics argue that the missing data elements significantly reduce its usefulness for transparency, oversight, and research security analysis.

Registration is now open for the in-person May 2026 Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) meeting at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC.  The meeting starts on Wednesday, May 27th, and concludes approximately noon Friday, May 29th.  Information regarding research security-related sessions will be provided as agenda details become available.

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.

A recording is now available of the February 17, 2026, NSF SECURE Center webinar, “Research Security 101: From ‘Foreign Influence’ to the CHIPS and Science Act.” The session, led by Lori Schultz, Co-Director of the NSF SECURE Center Southwest Region and Assistant Vice President for Research Administration at Colorado State University, covered foreign influence/research security in the context of higher education institutions, from universities first learning about the issue through today, including the DOJ China Initiative, NSPM-33 and the definition of research security programs, and the CHIPS and Science Act.

Each week the NSF SECURE Center hosts events through the National and Regional Centers, including co-creation workshops, educational, and engagement sessions with the research community. The events calendar provides more information about these opportunities and more.