Securing the Strength of Academic Research Communities

WHAT KEEPS YOU UP AT NIGHT GETS US OUT OF BED IN THE MORNING

Current programs and partners

ASCE event increases awareness and provides tools for countering foreign influence in colleges and universities. 

CETPP will provide expertise to research organizations to help protect developing technology from those who may attempt to misappropriate these technologies. The CETPP will house counterintelligence, counterproliferation, and cybersecurity expertise to protect data and intellectual property. The RISC Institute will continue to support your enterprise throughout the operation including conducting Due Diligence Reviews designed to identify potential risk associated with proposed collaborators or industry and developing and implementing clear and comprehensive security policies and procedures specific to research activities.

The University Research Security Professional’s Association (URSPA) aims to further the protection of intellectual property, controlled information, key personnel, and critical technologies to mitigate and manage risks from undue foreign influence at U.S. academic institutions conducting research relevant to economic or national security. URSPA also partners with international universities to share best practices and advance research security initiatives globally.

The NSF SECURE Analytics cooperative agreement is part of a larger program called Safeguarding the Entire Community of the U.S. Research Ecosystem (SECURE). This program was established by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to address growing concerns about foreign interference and threats to the integrity of U.S. research.   
SECURE has two main components:   
SECURE Center: Led by the University of Washington, this center focuses on developing and sharing best practices for research security, providing training, and facilitating communication between the research community and government agencies.   
– SECURE Analytics: Led by Texas A&M University, this component is specifically dedicated to developing data-driven tools and analytics to identify and assess risks to research security.  
 
Here’s what SECURE Analytics aims to do:
– Develop a comprehensive data platform: This platform will gather and analyze data related to research security, including information on foreign collaborations, funding sources, potential conflicts of interest, and cybersecurity threats.   
Create analytical tools and models: These tools will help identify patterns, anomalies, and potential risks within the research ecosystem, allowing for proactive mitigation and response.   
Enhance risk assessment: Provide researchers and institutions with better tools and information to assess and manage research security risks.   
– Improve understanding of research security threats: Generate insights into the nature and scope of foreign interference and other threats to U.S. research.   

Key goals of SECURE Analytics:
– Proactive risk mitigation: Move beyond reactive measures and anticipate potential threats.
– Data-driven decision making: Provide evidence-based insights to support informed decisions about research security.   
– Enhanced collaboration: Foster cooperation between government agencies, research institutions, and the research community.   
Protection of research integrity: Safeguard the integrity of U.S. research and intellectual property.   

In summary, SECURE Analytics aims to leverage the power of data and analytics to strengthen the security and integrity of the U.S. research ecosystem. 

As mandated in the “CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, the NSF SECURE Center, led by the University of Washington with support from nine institutions of higher education, will serve as a clearinghouse for information to empower the research community to identify and mitigate foreign interference that poses risks to the U.S. research enterprise. The SECURE Center will share information and reports on research security risks, provide training on research security to the science and engineering community, and serve as a bridge between the research community and government funding agencies to strengthen cooperation on addressing security concerns.

For more information on NSF Secure please visit the following url:  https://new.nsf.gov/news/nsf-backed-secure-center-will-support-research