Research Security and International Engagement
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 international engagement, 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
- ORCID
- Research Data Guidance
- UC Huawei Moratorium
RSIE Updates
As the research project moves through each phase, please check here for the most up-to-date information.
Pre-award
January 22, 2024: NSF released the 2024 Proposal & Award Policies and Procedures Guide effective May 20, 2024. See Summary of Changes.
Applies to prior proposal submission
Post-award
January 22, 2024: NSF released the 2024 Proposal & Award Policies and Procedures Guide effective May 20, 2024. See Summary of Changes.
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
- Federal government issued reports and memos on these areas:
- Protecting Critical and Emerging US Technologies from Foreign Threats- artificial intelligence, bioeconomy, autonomous systems, quantum, and semiconductors
- Targeting US Technologies
- Federal government issued reports and memos on these areas:
- 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
- Research and work in these areas due to national security and economic competitiveness concerns
- Determine what might make you a person of interest to international entities,
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.