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NSF SECURE Center
Research Security Briefing

Vol. 2, No. 12
April 10, 2026

The NSF SECURE Center distributes research security briefings and timely alerts via its listserv. The Briefing provides a centralized resource for research security-related information, including new statutory and research funding agency requirements, new or updated federal and community resources, and significant news items and scholarly works. The Center will also assess and provide commentary, interpretation, or implementation considerations on new requirements, notices and resources, working with higher education associations, legal partners, or agencies as needed.

Briefing Contents

Federal News & Updates

Webinar: USDA General Terms & Conditions and NIFA’s Updated Requirements

Registration is open for a webinar being held by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) on April 15, 2026, at 2:00pm ET.  The webinar, intended to assist applicants, awardees, and research administrators, will include an overview of USDA’s General Terms and Conditions that went into effect on December 31, 2025 (as described in Research Security Briefing vol. 2, no. 1).  The webinar will also cover updates to NIFA’s agency‑specific Terms and Conditions and provide guidance on using SciENcv.

Reps Urge NSF to Sustain Research Security Efforts While Protecting Scientific Openness

In an April 2, 2026 letter to Brian Stone, who is Performing duties of the Director, National Science Foundation (NSF), U.S. Representatives Ro Khanna (D-CA), Ranking Member, Select Committee on the CCP (Chinese Communist Party), and Grace Meng (D-NY), CAPAC Chair (Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus), emphasized the importance of continuing the agency’s SECURE Program (SECURE Center and Analytics), established under the CHIPS and Science Act, as a key mechanism for strengthening U.S. research security. The lawmakers highlighted the program’s data-driven approach to identifying and mitigating foreign risks while supporting a robust and innovative research ecosystem. They also underscored the importance of maintaining the United States’ global leadership in science by preserving openness and avoiding policies that could deter international talent, particularly within Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. The letter calls for sustained investment in balanced, evidence-based strategies that protect national security without undermining core American values or the research enterprise.

Upcoming Webinar: Multiple NSF Directorates Invite Research Security-Related Proposals

The National Science Foundation (NSF) will be holding a webinar on April 29, 2026, from 4-5:30pm EST, highlighting and differentiating the range of research security funding opportunities from multiple NSF directorates appropriate for those involved in research security policy, implementation, administration, and research. All organization types, including those in EPSCoR jurisdictions, are encouraged to attend. The following NSF programs will participate:

 

Register now to learn more.  Note that content provided at the April 29 webinar will be identical to that presented at the April 2, 2026, session.

Research Security News, Reports & Events

Please note, articles linked below may require a subscription to view.

NSF SECURE Center cannot distribute copies of subscription-based articles.

CSIS Event: Policy Advocates on China's Scientific Research and National Security Goals

On April 3, 2026, the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) held the event “NSF's National Security Mission for the Twenty-First Century,” that included a keynote address from Brian Stone, National Science Foundation (NSF) Chief of Staff, Performing the duties of the NSF Director.  The events opening session, “Policy Advocates on China's Scientific Research and National Security Goals” featured panelists Kyle Chan, Research Fellow for the Brookings Institution, and Jeannette Chu, Vice President for National Security Policy in the National Foreign Trade Council. The panelists discussed the close ties of China’s scientific research strategy to its national security and geopolitical ambitions and how its approach, including military-civil fusion and strategic investment in emerging technologies, poses challenges for the United States, particularly in areas like artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing.

 

Panelists underscored the need for a more coordinated U.S. response that balances protecting sensitive research with maintaining the openness that underpins scientific innovation. While advocating for stronger safeguards, export controls, and oversight of research collaborations, they also cautioned against overly restrictive policies that could deter global talent or undermine U.S. competitiveness. Overall, the discussion highlighted the growing complexity of managing research security risks in an era of strategic competition, where science and national security are increasingly intertwined.

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, click here.

NSF SECURE Opportunities, Updates & Resources

Registration Open: NSF SECURE Center Webinar on Research Security by Design with Amanda Humphrey and Lee Stadler

The NSF SECURE Center will host a webinar on April 28, 2026, at 10:30am PT (11:30am MT, 12:30pm CT, 1:30pm ET) with Amanda Humphrey, Chief Research Operations Officer at Northeastern University and Director of the SECURE Northeast Regional Center, and Lee Stadler, Design Lead, NSF SECURE Center. Humphrey and Stadler will explore how institutions can develop and sustain research security programs in a complex and evolving landscape.

 

Registration is open via this link.

Reminder: NSF SECURE Center Webinar on DoW Risk Matrix with Kris Gardner and Lori Schultz

The NSF SECURE Center will host a webinar on April 14, 2026, at 12pm PT (1pm MT, 2pm CT, 3pm ET) with Kris Gardner, Director of Science and Technology Protection in the U.S. Department of War (DoW).  Gardner will join NSF SECURE Center Deputy Director Lori Schultz to discuss recent updates to the DOW’s “Component Decision Matrix to Inform Fundamental Research Proposal Mitigation Decisions.”

 

Registration remains open via this link.

Shared Virtual Environment (SVE) Website Access

Are you a member of the NSF SECURE Center’s Shared Virtual Environment (SVE)?  The NSF SECURE Center’s website now includes a direct login for the SVE—still using the two-factor security protocol.  Not a member yet?  Request access from the same site.  Within the SVE, members can engage in the Community Forum to connect, ask questions, and work through challenges together, access NSF SECURE Center resources, and more. Recent topics in the Community Forum include research security training, CMMC certification, foreign gifts and contracts, as well as announcements of upcoming webinars and timely articles.

NSF SECURE Center Calendar of Events

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.

Previous NSF SECURE Center Research Security Briefings

2026 issues of the Research Security Briefing are available on the NSF 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?

Contact info@secure-center.org or sign up here.

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.

 

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under Cooperative Agreement No. 2403771.  Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material 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.

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