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NSF SECURE Center
Research Security Briefing

Vol. 2, No. 17
May 15, 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.

Federal News & Updates

An Update on How NIH Protects NIH-Funded Research from Undue Foreign Interference

On May 12, 2026, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued an update outlining its recent initiatives to protect NIH-funded biomedical research from undue foreign interference while maintaining international collaboration.  NIH has issued notices or guidance for several of the key efforts listed in the update:

  • Foreign Interference Assessment Tool (August 2024 Decision Matrix)

  • Revised Disclosure Forms (implementation of the Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support Forms)

  • Small Business Program Foreign Risk Assessments

  • Research Security Training

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In particular, the notice emphasizes that “Completion of [research security] training and the individual and institutional certifications will be required for applications submitted for due dates on or after May 25, 2026 (see NOT-OD-26-017).”

 

The update concludes with NIH’s statement of support for properly conducted international collaboration as a critical part of maintaining the competitiveness of the United States, with reinforcement for the standard of transparency.

Call for Proposals: 2026 NSF Cybersecurity Summit

The call for proposals for the 2026 NSF Cybersecurity Summit, run by Trusted CI, is now open. The NSF cyberinfrastructure ecosystem presents an aggregate of complex cybersecurity needs.  Going forward, research security will also bring new challenges to U.S. academic research institutions. The NSF Cybersecurity Summit community has a unique opportunity to develop information security practices tailored to these needs, and to break new ground on efficient, effective ways to protect information assets while supporting science. The Summit brings together leaders in research cyberinfrastructure (CI), cybersecurity, and higher ed researchers to build a trusting, collaborative community that addresses the community’s core cybersecurity challenges.

NSF SECURE Opportunities, Updates & Resources

Risk Escalation Tool Feedback Forum

The NSF SECURE Center Risk Escalation Tool Feedback Forum is a hands-on, interactive session where participants will learn about a new escalation workflow tool, try it out firsthand, and share feedback. This tool is designed to support risk identification, escalation, and decision‑making across different organizational settings. During the forum, participants will:

  • Watch a live demonstration of the tool and its workflow

  • Test the tool themselves and explore its features

  • Share feedback on content clarity, workflow logic, design, usability, and how well it fits their needs

  • Discuss practical use cases and suggest improvements

  • Engage directly with the team building the tool to help guide its next steps

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To support deeper engagement, participants will receive access to the prototype one week before the session, allowing additional time to explore the tool and prepare feedback.

 

The goal of this session is to make sure the tool is intuitive, effective, and aligned with real‑world needs by involving stakeholders early and giving them space to influence its development.

  • Dates, Times, and Registration:

    • May 20, 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. (ET) (register)

    • May 21, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. (ET) (register)

  • Intended Audience: Research Security professionals (e.g., RSOs) and institutional leaders involved in research‑risk decision‑making (e.g., VPRs, AVPRs, Deans).

  • Capacity: Each session is limited to 25 participants to support meaningful discussion and engagement.

  • Format: This is not a passive presentation. Attendees should expect active participation through open discussion and hands-on virtual activities. Multiple sessions are offered to accommodate schedules. Each session will cover the same content. Participants only need to register for one session. 

Trending Topics in the SVE Discussion Forum

Research security professionals across the country share questions, challenges, and practices in the NSF SECURE Center SVE’s discussion forum.  Each week we will highlight a few conversations worth knowing about.

 

This week, users have been discussing research security training (both refresher training and insider threat training) and graduate student screenings.  Head over to the Community Forum to join in.

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.

User Testing Underway for Research Security Refresher Training Module

The NSF SECURE Center has developed a research security refresher training module that takes approximately 30 minutes or less to complete. The module condenses the Center’s one-hour research security training while continuing to meet federal law and adding new case content in response to questions received from researchers.

 

User testing for the module is underway. The module is expected to be available to institutions and researchers in late May.

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.

Other News & Resources

Opportunity to Participate in an NSF-funded Study on AI Research Security

Recruitment is underway for participants to share their experiences on research security as part of TRAILS (Typology of Research on Artificial Intelligence Lifecycle Security), a two-year NSF-funded study on AI research security.

 

If you are (1) an AI researcher or researcher who uses AI, (2) an IT, SOC, or cybersecurity professional, or (3) a compliance or export control professional, then you could receive a $100 Amazon gift card by completing a 60–90-minute audio-recorded interview via Zoom.

If you are interested in sharing your experience, please complete this short, four-questions survey to check your eligibility for participation.

 

If you have additional questions, feel free to reach out to Rockwell (“Rocky”) Clancy (rfclancy@vt.edu) on behalf of the TRAILS teams (Qin Zhu, John Talerico, and Lisa Lee).

Community Job Postings

Please note, postings linked below are time-limited in nature.

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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.

Briefing Contents

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.

Researching While Chinese
(Science, 5/12/2026)

An article in Science examines growing concerns among Chinese postdoctoral researchers in the United States following a series of prosecutions, visa revocations, and deportation actions tied to alleged nondisclosure issues, export control concerns, and scrutiny of connections to Chinese institutions. The article describes the resulting climate of uncertainty within academic research communities, particularly in STEM fields involving federally funded or strategically sensitive research. (more)

Indiana plant biologist locked out of lab by school
(Science, 5/9/2026)

Roger Innes, a distinguished plant biologist at Indiana University who has criticized the federal government’s prosecution of Chinese scientists, has been locked out of his laboratory by the school, following communications with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  The action appears connected to an ongoing federal investigation involving a former postdoctoral researcher accused of improperly importing biological materials from China.  University officials stated they were cooperating with federal authorities, while faculty expressed concern about disruptions to active experiments, laboratory safety, and the broader impact on the research environment. (more)

A Professor Defended a Postdoc Who Was Deported. Now His Lab Has Been Locked Down.
(Chronicle of Higher Education, 05/11/2026)

The Chronicle provides a deeper dive into the situation at Indiana University.  The author presents information directly obtained from Roger Innes and the Biology Department Chair. The article explores the available background information for the lock out, the resulting fall-out to other researchers who share the laboratory spaces and the University’s responses. (more)

National security push ‘poses challenges for university research’
(Research Professional News, 5/8/2026)

Registration Open for FDP May Membership Meeting in Washington D.C.

The authors assert that the UK government’s increasing emphasis on national security is creating new pressures for universities engaged in international research collaboration. The article notes that universities are facing heightened expectations to assess security risks tied to foreign partnerships, sensitive technologies, and potential dual-use research, even as many institutions lack the specialized expertise and resources needed to conduct sophisticated security reviews. University leaders have expressed particular concern that unclear or evolving government guidance may leave institutions uncertain about how to balance research openness with national security obligations. (more)

Registration is open for the Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) May 27-29 in-person membership meeting in Washington D.C.  Research security-related sessions currently listed on the preliminary (draft) agenda include:

  • Federal Agency Updates

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  • Federal Agency Research Security Risk Assessments and International Co-authorship

    • Description: Federal agencies with published research security risk processes or matrices for fundamental research, including NIH, NSF, DOE and DoW, will discuss the latest updates to their evolving processes and resources and address audience questions regarding recent changes and experiences. The discussion will address the issue of co-authorship as a proxy for collaboration.

    • Speakers:

      • Michelle Bulls, Director, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration, National Institutes of Health

      • Sarah Stalker-Lehoux, Acting Chief of Research Security, Strategy and Policy, National Science Foundation

      • Julie Anderson, Director, Research Technology and Economic Security, Department of Energy

      • Jason Day, Research Policy Director, Department of War (Invited)

      • Ann Gabriel, Senior Vice President for Global Strategic Networks, Elsevier

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  • Federal Research Security Update

    • Description: A panel of federal speakers from NIH, NSF, DOE and DoW will provide an update on the latest federal and agency research security requirements and resources. The session will provide time for audience questions.  

    • Speakers:

      • Michelle Bulls, Director, Office of Policy for Extramural Research Administration, National Institutes of Health

      • Sarah Stalker-Lehoux, Acting Chief of Research Security, Strategy and Policy, National Science Foundation

      • Julie Anderson, Director, Research Technology and Economic Security, Department of Energy

      • Jason Day, Research Policy Director, Department of War (Invited)

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  • Research Security at Emerging Research Institutions (ERIs)

    • Description: This session will review research security in the context of research conducted at ERIs and research conducted in collaboration with ERIs.  Topics include: security concerns experienced or anticipated at ERIs; personnel roles at ERIs involved with research security; research security benchmarks that may be appropriate at ERIs; research security resources that ERIs can access, including the NSF SECURE Center. 

    • Host/Moderator: Susan Anderson, FDP ERI Co-Chair

    • Speakers: TBD

    • Audience: ERI faculty and administrative/technical representatives; other FDP member institutions with ERI collaborations; Federal FDP research security personnel.  


 

Registration Open for COGR June Membership Meeting in Washington D.C.

Registration is open for COGR’s June 11-12 in-person membership meeting in Washington DC.  Research security-related sessions currently listed on the preliminary agenda include:

  • Across the Agencies: Key Updates and Priorities

    • Speakers:

      • Michelle Bulls, Director, Office of the Policy for Extramural Research Administration (OPERA), National Institutes of Health (NIH)

      • Jason Bossie, Office Head, Office of Award Management, National Science Foundation (NSF)

  • Research Security & Biosafety: What’s New and What’s Next

    • Speakers:

      • Patrick Lee, Director, Office of Research, Economic, and Science Security, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

      • Lyric Jorgenson, Associate Director for Science Policy, National Institutes of Health (NIH)

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.

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