NSF SECURE Center
Research Security Briefing
Vol. 2, No. 6
February 13, 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
NASA Release Research Security Training Requirements
Current State of Research Security Training (RST) Requirements
NIH Adjusts Timeline for Compliance with Common Forms via SciENcv
Texas University Pays to Resolve Claims it Defrauded Grant Program
Federal News & Updates
NASA Release Research Security Training Requirements
NASA has issued Grant Information Circular 26-02 (GIC 26-02) to implement the research security training (RST) and certification requirements mandated by Section 10634 of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 for all research grant and cooperative agreement proposals submitted to the agency.
Under the circular, covered individuals must certify on their Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support forms that they have completed RST within the 12 months prior to proposal submission. Covered individuals who join a funded project after award must also submit the required certifications. “Covered individuals” are defined as:
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Any Principal Investigator (PI), regardless of level of effort
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Any Co-PI, regardless of level of effort
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Any Co-investigator (Co-I) proposing to spend ten percent or more of their time in any given year on a NASA-funded award
In addition, applicant entities will certify that each covered individual employed by the entity and listed on the proposal has met the RST requirement by signing a certification in NASA’s Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES).
The agency will implement these requirements beginning August 5, 2026. Acceptable training includes any program that meets the statutory criteria. NASA specifically recognizes NSF SECURE Center’s Consolidated Training Module (CTM) as a compliant option.
Current State of Research Security Training (RST) Requirements
A summary of US federal agency-specific RST requirements to date appears below. As usual, institutions should review the associated policies and notices for further clarification.
Agency | Effective Date for Individual and Institutional Certifications | Covered Individuals | Accepts SECURE CTM? | Cadence | Policy or Notice Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DOE | 5/1/2025 | PI, PD, Co-PI, Co-PD, project manager, any individual functionally performing as a PI, PD, Co-PI, Co-PD, or project manager.
DOE may expand this list as specified in NOFO and/or terms and conditions of the Federal financial assistance award. | Yes | 12 months prior to proposal submission | |
NSF | 12/2/2025 | Senior/Key Personnel | Yes | 12 months prior to proposal submission | |
USDA | 12/31/2025 | Each individual employed by the recipient to work on the award | Yes | At the time of application, where applicable, or within the 12-month period
immediately preceding the commencement of work on the award. | |
NIH | 5/26/2026 | Senior/Key Personnel | Yes | 12 months prior to proposal submission | |
NASA | 8/5/2026 | • Any Principal Investigator (PI), regardless of level of effort • Any Co-PI, regardless of level of effort • Any Co-investigator (Co-I) proposing to spend ten percent or more of their time in any given year on a NASA-funded award | Yes | 12 months prior to proposal submission |
NIH Adjusts Timeline for Compliance with Common Forms via SciENcv
Texas University Pays to Resolve Claims it Defrauded Grant Program
The University of Texas at San Antonio has agreed to pay nearly $130,000 to resolve federal claims that it defrauded a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) cooperative agreement intended to establish a research center, after allegedly failing to comply with restrictions on collaborations with Chinese institutions and inaccurately reporting publications supported by the award. The settlement, announced February 10, 2026, by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, resolves allegations related to the principal investigator’s ties with researchers in China and false reporting in semiannual and annual program reports.
On February 4, 2026, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued NOT-OD-26-033,“Adjusted Timeline for NIH’s Implementation of Common Forms,” confirming that NIH will not withdraw initial applications, JITs, RPPRs, or Prior Approvals submitted on or after January 25 that fail to use Common Forms via SciENcv for Biographical Sketches, Current and Pending (Other) Support and NIH Biographical Sketch Supplements, as the agency had previously communicated. Instead, NIH will provide a warning message when the Common Forms are not used. Applicants and recipients are still encouraged to begin using the Common Forms as soon as possible.
On January 30, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs issued a press release announcing the conviction of Linwei (Leon) Ding, a former Google software engineer, on multiple counts of economic espionage and theft of trade secrets for secretly stealing thousands of pages of confidential artificial intelligence technology from his employer and providing it to benefit entities aligned with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). According to the press release, Ding affiliated himself with two PRC technology companies while still employed at Google and, in 2023, applied for a Shanghai-based talent plan, stating that his objective was to “help China to have computing power infrastructure capabilities that are on par with the international level.”
Espionage, Theft of Confidential AI Technology
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.
AI can speed research compliance — if agencies can explain the output
(FEDSCOOP, 2/4/2026)
The article discusses the increased use of AI in research compliance, including at the federal level with a recent announcement by the Department of Energy. A summary of the challenges and outcomes—both positive and negative outcomes—is provided, with discussion on how the area of research security sharpens these challenges. The author offers some suggestions for a better application of AI in research compliance, concluding that, “The organizations that succeed will be those that adopt AI deliberately, prioritize transparency, and clearly define where human responsibility begins and ends.” (more)
University blocks job applicants from four ‘risk’ nations
(University World News, 2/4/2026)
The University of Southeast Norway has adopted a hiring policy that excludes job applicants from four countries (China, Iran, Russia and North Korea) classified as “risk nations” due to perceived security concerns. The policy has drawn the support of some right-wing political actors and been framed as a precaution against foreign influence or espionage. The policy has sparked debate about the balance between safeguarding sensitive work and upholding inclusive access to academic opportunities. (more)
FDP May 2026 Meeting Registration Open
Registration is now open for the in-person Federal Demonstration Partnership (FDP) May 2026 meeting at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC. The meeting starts in the late afternoon on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, and concludes at approximately noon Friday, May 29th. Additional details regarding research security-related agenda topics will be included in future Briefings as they become available.
Registration is open for COGR’s virtual membership meeting, taking place February 24-27, 2026, and the preliminary agenda has been posted. Research security-related topics include:
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Wednesday, 2/25/26, 12:00pm – 1:00pm EST: Complying with DOJ’s Bulk Sensitive Data Rule
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Thursday, 2/26/26, 4:00pm – 5:00pm EST: Unboxing Gifts, Monetary Donations, and Common Form Other Support
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Friday, 2//27/26, 12:00pm – 1:30pm EST: Forthcoming Federal Research Security Program Requirements and FDP Cybersecurity Guidelines Demonstration
ASCE 2026 Registration Open
Registration is open for the 2026 Academic Security and Counter Exploitation (ASCE) Program, marking the10th anniversary of the largest research security conference in the world: February 24 - 26, 2026. (more)
COGR February 2026 Virtual Meeting Registration Open, Preliminary Agenda 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, click here.
RISC Bulletin
NSF SECURE Opportunities, Updates & Resources
Researchers in Quantum and Computer Science Sought for Input on RS Resources
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. Openings are currently available for the session on 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.
SECURE Center Events
Each week the SECURE Center hosts events through the National and Regional Centers, including co-creation workshops, educational, and engagement sessions with the research community. The events page provides more information about these opportunities and more.
Previous SECURE Research Security Briefings
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?
Contact info@secure-center.org or sign up here.
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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.