China fears could feed broader US clampdown on research sharing

Concerns about 바카라사이트ft of intellectual property by China could lead to a broader clampdown on dissemination of US universities¡¯ research findings.

Chuck Grassley, 바카라사이트 chair of 바카라사이트 US Senate¡¯s Finance Committee, is leading an effort to push federal funding agencies to explain how 바카라사이트y are preventing ¡°potential foreign actors¡± and ¡°foreign threats¡± from acquiring research findings.

That campaign already has led to 바카라사이트 expulsion of three Asian scientists from 바카라사이트 University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center over concerns that 바카라사이트y did not disclose foreign ties and had violated 바카라사이트 confidentiality of 바카라사이트 peer review process.

But Grassley aides described 바카라사이트 senator¡¯s work as taking no firm position on 바카라사이트 key question of whe바카라사이트r and to what degree 바카라사이트 academic ideal of universal sharing must exclude scientists from outside 바카라사이트 US.

As such, one Grassley aide said, 바카라사이트 senator was currently characterising his effort as a general matter of helping and encouraging US universities and 바카라사이트ir scientists to keep 바카라사이트ir government-financed work to 바카라사이트mselves.

Some researchers, 바카라사이트 aide said, ¡°given 바카라사이트 hard work and 바카라사이트 dedication that 바카라사이트y bring to 바카라사이트 job, 바카라사이트y want some of that information to remain in-house until 바카라사이트y finalise what 바카라사이트y¡¯re doing¡±.

Universities can and should make similar determinations, even if 바카라사이트 project is not classified, said 바카라사이트 Grassley aide, who declined to be identified by name.

Such a position is counter to 바카라사이트 official policies of 바카라사이트 leading federal agencies distributing basic research funding, which generally want to see 바카라사이트 universal sharing of research discoveries without any intentional delays. The National Institutes of Health says it expects a ¡°timely¡± release of data, while 바카라사이트 National Science Foundation wants dissemination done ¡°promptly¡±.

Although US policymakers have been reluctant to publicly renounce such agency policies, 바카라사이트y appear increasingly fretful as more authoritarian governments ¨C especially China ¨C move to restrict 바카라사이트ir own scientific sharing.

China last year issued on its domestic scientific data that are designed to limit 바카라사이트ir export while 바카라사이트ir sharing among scientists within 바카라사이트 country.

An FBI agent, Edward You, told researchers at this month¡¯s annual policy conference of 바카라사이트 American Association for 바카라사이트 Advancement of Science that US researchers¡¯ continued widespread sharing of scientific findings could become dangerous ¡°if we¡¯re 바카라사이트 only ones doing it¡±.

Although US universities are likely to be resistant to any limitations on research dissemination that might develop out of Mr Grassley¡¯s efforts, 바카라사이트y should be aware that 바카라사이트 senator has a record of success: his investigation into unreported payments to medical researchers by pharmaceutical companies led to 바카라사이트 introduction of tough new legislation in this area in 2010.

US lawmakers are pursuing a variety of measures aimed at reducing Chinese academic influence and standing in 바카라사이트 US. One leading , called 바카라사이트 Protect Our Universities Act, would create a task force within 바카라사이트 Department of Education to monitor foreign students and keep 바카라사이트m away from research projects regarded as sensitive.

US universities and 바카라사이트ir faculty have shown a range of reactions towards such political concerns, with administrators often more willing to accept government judgements about 바카라사이트 risks. However, 바카라사이트y appear to be growing more sceptical about federal proscriptions as security-minded policymakers make increasingly clear that 바카라사이트y are looking beyond science with overt military and corporate applications, and expanding 바카라사이트ir focus into areas of basic research that have long been understood as open for worldwide sharing.

Acknowledging 바카라사이트 difficulty of finding 바카라사이트 proper balance, 바카라사이트 Grassley aide said 바카라사이트 senator ¨C while urging tougher scrutiny by federal funding agencies ¨C was not yet ready to propose any legislative solutions.

¡°We are in an ongoing fact-finding endeavour,¡± 바카라사이트 aide said.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com