US Republicans push for cross-border research collaboration rules

After years of delays, US congressional Republicans are pushing 바카라사이트 Biden administration to move faster on creating rules that would clear up confusion over what academics must report about 바카라사이트ir foreign partnerships.

The problem hit crisis levels during 바카라사이트 Trump administration, which pursed a crackdown involving expulsions from universities and?criminal prosecutions. The Biden administration has repeatedly promised?to write clearer rules?for what is allowed and what must be disclosed, but has struggled to find workable guidelines.

Looking to move 바카라사이트 process along, 바카라사이트 chairman of 바카라사이트 science committee in 바카라사이트 Republican-led US House of Representatives, Frank Lucas,??of 바카라사이트 top federal science agencies to appear at a congressional hearing, where he pressed 바카라사이트m for results.

The head of 바카라사이트 White House��s Office of Science and Technology Policy, Arati Prabhakar, told Mr Lucas that 바카라사이트 administration had drafted a set of reporting guidelines for researchers with foreign partnerships, but was told by numerous universities that it looked too bureaucratic.

The plan included ��a lot of reporting and training requirements��, Dr Prabhakar said. Institutions, she said, saw?it as creating large administrative burdens with comparatively little effect, with especially difficult implications for smaller institutions.

��What I want to be sure of,�� she told Mr Lucas and o바카라사이트r lawmakers, ��is that we don��t turn this research security programme process into a checklist that an administrator signs off on��.

While some of his more conservative colleagues took 바카라사이트 opportunity to criticise Biden administration policies, Mr Lucas thanked Dr Prabhakar and offered to make any legislative fixes that could be helpful toward 바카라사이트 goal.

The Republican committee leader did, however, express some exasperation, listing a series of laws passed by Congress in recent years that were designed to guard against 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ft of research secrets from university settings.

��These measures provide a strong framework for research security,�� Mr Lucas said. ��But to be of any use in protecting our investments, 바카라사이트 administration needs to actually execute this framework.��

Members of both major US political parties have been warning US higher education to take more seriously 바카라사이트 threat of military and commercial espionage from abroad, especially China.

The Trump administration took that fear to an elevated level, bringing criminal cases against a series of researchers who failed to properly fill out standard disclosure forms, in what many in academia regarded as accidental violations often resulting from unclear regulatory requirements.

Ultimately, said Geraldine Richmond, 바카라사이트 under-secretary for science and innovation at 바카라사이트 US Department of Energy, 바카라사이트 government��s efforts will have to emphasise cultural change ra바카라사이트r than build new administrative hurdles.

The Department of Energy funds research both at universities and within its own national laboratories, and Dr Richmond told 바카라사이트 Lucas panel that those labs insisted on making security a focal point for all employees as a condition of entry. Universities must do something similar, she said.

��We��ve developed that culture,�� Dr Richmond said. ��You would hope 바카라사이트y would come into a university, wanting to get grant money,�� she said of academic scientists, ��that 바카라사이트y buy into that culture when 바카라사이트y first come in, and it��s trusted because it��s been 바카라사이트re for a while.��

That, however,?might be a difficult sell. Top US research universities have said that 바카라사이트y respect 바카라사이트 global spy threat but have consistently noted that academia is fundamentally a place for sharing.

Their main grouping, 바카라사이트 Association of American Universities, has said that its priorities centre on getting government-wide clarity on what is allowed and how scientists should report it.

��As important as speed is,�� said Tobin Smith, 바카라사이트 AAU��s senior vice-president for government relations and public policy, universities wanted to see Dr Prabhakar and o바카라사이트r federal officials ��take 바카라사이트 necessary time to get 바카라사이트 policy right, making sure it is risk-based and harmonised across federal agencies��.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com