As new federally mandated research security requirements are implemented, additional information will be disseminated to the research community. If you have questions about any research security topics, please contact the Research Security team researchsecurity@brown.edu.
Division of Research
Research Security
The Importance of Research Security
Open national and international scientific and scholarly research and collaborations are critical to furthering Brown’s mission to serve the community, the nation and the world by discovering, communicating and preserving knowledge. In support of this mission, Brown continues to be firmly committed to fostering international collaborations.
The term “research security” broadly includes requirements that aim to safeguard the research enterprise against misappropriation of research to the detriment of U.S. national and economic security. Many new federal policies and directives focus on mitigating security risks that may arise in research, particularly research involving international collaborations.
To meet the requirements of the new policies and directives, Brown and its researchers must maintain practices dedicated to securing sensitive research data and intellectual property, disclosing potential conflicts of interest and conflicts of commitment, and adhering to export control regulations.
Federal Directives
Signed in August 2022, the CHIPS and Science Act focuses on advancing U.S. global leadership in the technologies of the future, including semiconductors and advanced computing, and, in part, prohibits federally funded researchers from participating in Malign Foreign Talent Programs. The NSF is leading the effort to implement the act.
This memorandum directs action to strengthen protections of United States Government-supported Research and Development (R&D) against foreign government interference and exploitation.
In July 2024, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) published this memorandum for heads of federal research agencies.
Brown’s Implementation of Research Security Requirements
Brown is required to implement a Research Security Program in order to continue to receive federal research funding. The implementation began with National Security Presidential Memorandum 33 (NSPM-33) issued in January 2021, and continues now under the Final Guidance provided by the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) provided in July 2024. OSTP sets the minimum standards for research security programs to facilitate compliance with NSPM-33 and coordinates federal funding agency implementation of the requirements. The Research Security program at Brown is on track to meet these standardized requirements, specifics of which are detailed below:
Foreign Travel
Brown’s current travel policy requires that all international Brown-related travel be registered in TravelSafe. Brown’s Global Travel Operations office is in the process of implementing a new travel management system. This system will be able to support the foreign travel security training for research-related business travel and will be the system of record required for all international travel. This includes sponsored international travel for organization business, teaching, conference attendance, and research purposes by covered individuals, and for covered individuals participating in R&D awards when a federal research agency has determined that security risks warrant travel reporting in accordance with the terms of an R&D award.
Research Security Training
Brown recently launched a comprehensive, eLearning module, Research Security Matters, that is available for in WorkDay Learning. This eLearning course is customized to Brown’s program and needs, time efficient, and covers all relevant and necessary portions of Research Security Training. Any Brown community member can complete the training, and researchers and research administrators are encouraged to do so.
Cybersecurity
Brown has an enclave of NIST 800-171 compliant infrastructure (via Stronghold) that can handle the current volume of traffic. In addition, basic cybersecurity training is being prepared for the entire community.
Export Control
Brown’s Export Control Office provides specific training to all individuals with government export licenses, exceptions to the Openness in Research Policy and any other situations involving export control concerns such as visiting foreign scholars.
Related Information and Resources at Brown
Contact Research Integrity with questions about outside professional engagements, international collaboration, non-US support or participation in Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs.
Contact Export Controls with questions about traveling with devices or equipment, traveling to embargoed countries, controlled equipment on Brown’s campus or if you have a visiting scholar from a foreign country.
Contact Conflict of Interest with questions about disclosing outside interests, managing conflicts of interest, using InfoEd for disclosures or compliance with agency policies.
Email your department’s contact in Sponsored Projects if you have questions about specific award terms and conditions, disclosure requirements or international collaborations involving federal funding.
The Division of Research provides updated guidance whenever agencies make changes to proposal requirements to help ensure research proposals are competitive and compliant with federal rules.
Consistent with its mission, Brown University is deeply committed to and invested in international collaboration and scholarship. The University welcomes scholars and students from around the world into its research labs and classrooms, valuing each of these individuals as members of the Brown community.