Research Security Training and Certification

Research Security Training Requirements

Research Security training is applicable to Purdue faculty and eligible PIs as well as staff, students and others involved in research-related activities. Purdue’s research security training integrates the federal, state, and institutional requirements related to research security into a 45-minute training session. At the end, personnel must also complete a certification that they are not participating in a foreign talent recruitment program organized by or funded through a Foreign Adversary.

There is also NSF-developed research security training that we encourage you to review here, though it only covers the federal requirements and is several hours worth of content.

Research Security Certification Requirement

The CHIPS and Science Act prohibits “covered individuals” from participating in a federally funded research and development project if they are currently participating in a “malign foreign talent recruitment program.”

It also requires covered individuals to disclose if they are a party to any foreign talent recruitment program, and to certify that they are not a party to a malign foreign talent recruitment program.

It further states that that federal research agencies may request supporting documentation from applicants, and take a range of funding-related actions if warranted.

Recipient institutions are required to prohibit covered individuals participating in malign foreign talent recruitment programs from working on projects supported by research and development awards.

A “covered individual” is “an individual who:

• (A) contributes in a substantive, meaningful way to the scientific development or execution of a research and development project proposed to be carried out with a research and development award from a Federal research agency; and
• (B) is designated as a covered individual by the Federal research agency concerned.”

Researchers applying for federal funding are required to certify that they are not a participant in a Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program during proposal submission. Additionally, researchers are prohibited from engaging in USDA research if they have participated in a Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program within the prior 10 years.

As a state educational institution in Indiana, we are also required to have a policy prohibiting involvement in Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs by Foreign Adversary Nations. Even if a talent program is not “malign” in nature, if it is organized by or funded through a Foreign Adversary Nation, involvement is impermissible.

Purdue’s Research Security Program policy describes the University’s efforts to comply with applicable laws, regulations and guidelines that govern research security.