Research Security and Integrity Compliance

To support UCI's continued engagement and collaboration in research with the international community while also addressing the federal government's concerns about research security and integrity, the Office of Research created this website to provide helpful resources and updates on this evolving compliance area.

  • Conflict of Commitment (UC OATS)
  • Conflict of Interest in research
  • Federal Grant Applications and Annual Progress Reports
  • Cybersecurity
  • Foreign Travel Security
  • Research Security Training
  • Export Control Training
  • Research Data Guidance
  • UC Huawei Moratorium

RSIC Updates

As the research project moves through each phase, please check here for the most up-to-date information.

Pre-award

August 2023- NASA issued new conflict of interest policy for grants and cooperative agreements to be implemented by December 1, 2023

Applies to prior proposal submission

Post-award

August 2023- NASA issued new conflict of interest policy for grants and cooperative agreements to be implemented by December 1, 2023

Applies to steps after proposal has been awarded

Best Practices

  • Develop your awareness of potential risks

    • Determine what might make you a person of interest to international entities,
      • Research and work in these areas due to national security and economic competitiveness concerns
      • Expertise and research, or political endeavors
      • Privileged access to locations, items, data, and/or people
      • Knowledge of research activities, security protocols, networks, and/or sensitive personnel information

  • Prevent yourself from becoming a target for undue foreign influence

    • Be mindful of requests for information or quickly developed relationships that seem a little "off"
    • Be discreet with information shared, even if it seems trivial
    • Avoid posting information that could be compromising or sensitive
    • Limit social media access to those you know
    • Vet individuals soliciting connections into professional networking sites- do not accept individuals who have not contacted you otherwise, do not have shared expertise, or otherwise invitations seem "different"
    • Carefully consider motives for gifts, honors, or unique opportunities
    • Be mindful of requests from an entity to keep your relationship/affiliation with that entity confidential
    • Use strong passphrases/complex passwords for accounts or devices

  • Protect yourself while traveling abroad

    UCI Information Security has a helpful website on International Travel- Information Security Guidance with tips and resources to help keep your information safe while traveling internationally.

    The most important guidance is to travel only with the data and devices that you need.