top of page

NSF SECURE Center
Research Security Briefing

Vol. 2, No. 18
May 22, 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

Congressional Leaders Raise Concerns About CCP Influence at American Universities

On May 15, 2026, House Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI), Senate HELP Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA), House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI), and Senator Jim Banks (R-IN) issued a joint letter expressing concerns related to foreign influence at American universities, based on data included in the Department of Education’s new foreign funding portal indicating that 34 institutions have received over $183 million from foreign entities with ties to American adversaries, including the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The lawmakers sent identical letters to the following nine universities, directing them to provide extensive information regarding their gifts, contracts, and financial transactions with foreign entities:

  • Bryant University

  • University of Texas at Arlington

  • University of Arizona

  • Georgia Institute of Technology

  • University of California, Berkeley

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • Portland State University

  • University of Minnesota Twin Cities

  • University of California, Irvine

​

The letters instruct the recipient institutions to provide responsive information for the period January 1, 2021, to the present, and to provide the information by May 28, 2026. (House press release | Senate press release)

USDA Releases General Terms & Conditions/NIFA Requirements Webinar Recording

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released a recording of the webinar the Department held on April 15, 2026, providing an overview of the USDA General Terms and Conditions and updates to NIFA’s agency specific Terms and Conditions. The session also offered guidance on using SciENcv and is designed to help applicants, awardees, and research administrators prepare for these changes.

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.

Education Minister Pulls University Research Projects Over Fears of Espionage and Warfare
(Sky News Australia, 5/18/2026)

Australian Education Minister Jason Clare has blocked funding for 13 university research grant applications, citing concerns related to national security, defense, and international relations — with the vetoed projects reported to involve sensitive areas including drone technology, cybersecurity, and alternative energy with potential dual-use military applications. According to reporting in The Australian, a spokesperson for Clare indicated the decisions were made on advice from relevant agencies. Clare is now drafting legislation to require universities to comply with national security and foreign interference rules, which he is seeking to implement within two months. The minister has declined to publicly identify the researchers or institutions involved, or to elaborate on the specific risks that triggered each veto. Clare had previously written to the Australian Research Council (ARC) demanding it focus on addressing threats of espionage and foreign interference affecting Australia's research sector.  The ARC's newly released Research Security Framework places responsibility on universities to proactively avoid submitting applications that pose threats to Australia's security interests and to promptly report research security risks when identified. (more)

Acclaimed biologist Xu Xianzhong returns to China after arrests in his US lab
(South China Morning Post, 5/12/2026)

Prominent biologist and American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) fellow Xu Xianzhong has left the University of Michigan to join the Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation, following a series of U.S. federal actions involving members of his research group. Three researchers from his lab were arrested late last year on charges of conspiracy to smuggle biological materials into the U.S., with one also accused of making false statements to federal agents. The arrests stemmed from the earlier arrest and deportation of another Chinese national from Xu's lab, which triggered the broader investigation. Xu has not been charged. (more)

President Xi calls for global collaboration in basic research
(University World News, 5/11/2026)

Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for deeper international cooperation in basic science, pledging that China will play a more active role in global science and technology governance and will work with other nations to address major challenges including climate change, energy, and life sciences. The call came at what is understood to be the first top-level symposium dedicated specifically to basic research, chaired by Xi himself, bringing together senior figures from government, academia, and industry. Data show that China now records one of the lowest shares of internationally co-authored papers among major research economies, with co-authorships with the United States having dropped by roughly 20%, particularly in sensitive fields such as engineering and artificial intelligence. (more)

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

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

​

  • 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

​

  • 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)

​

  • 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.

NSF SECURE Opportunities, Updates & Resources

Upcoming NSF SECURE Center SPARK Webinars

SECURE Programming: Advancing Research Knowledge (SPARK) webinars are free, interactive, virtual webinars designed to help the research security community better understand and implement requirements, resources, and best practices.


SPARK + FBI Webinar: China - Technology Transfer Threat Through Recruitment and Talent Plans 
The NSF SECURE Center will host a free virtual webinar on June 16, 2026, at 11:00am PT (12:00pm MT, 1:00pm CT, 2:00pm ET). Join us as James Noble, FBI Unit Chief of the Counterintelligence & Espionage Division, discusses how China’s centralized, state directed strategy targets technology and research assets across sectors, and how strengthening awareness and partnerships across academia, industry, and government can help disrupt these threats. The presentation will include moderated discussion and audience Q&A. Registration is open via this link.

NSF SECURE Center Mitigation Plan Tool Feedback Forum

Registration is now open for the NSF SECURE Center Mitigation Plan Tool Feedback Forum; a hands-on, interactive session where participants will try out a newly developed mitigation plan tool, and share feedback to improve the tool. This tool is designed to develop mitigation plans based on specific risk triggers and can be customized based on your organization's needs. 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

 

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.

​

Event Details

  • Dates & Times:

  • Location: Virtual (Zoom)

  • 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 This week, users have been discussing developing a clean/loaner laptop program and operationalizing Wolf Amendment due diligence. 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.

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.

​

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.

bottom of page