What is research security and why is it important?
Research security refers to the measures and protocols put in place to safeguard the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of research data, materials, and findings.
We acknowledge the complexities involved in adhering to various regulatory requirements, including those pertaining to international travel, disclosure compliance, and data protection measures. The Office of the Vice Chancellor of Research & Innovation is poised to offer guidance and assistance, ensuring that UAMS’ research endeavors thrive and prosper.
Below are the components of UAMS’s research security program, which is a collaborative effort among various offices at the University. This program is a central point of contact for research security at UAMS. Please email Nicole Schartz, Ph.D., NSchartz@uams.edu, with questions regarding the research security program.
UAMS’s Research Security Program
NSPM-33 and the CHIPS & Science Act
NSPM-33 (National Security Presidential Memorandum 33)
What it is:
NSPM-33, issued in January 2021, established a government-wide framework to protect U.S. research from foreign government interference, undisclosed conflicts of interest, theft of intellectual property, and improper foreign influence.
Why it matters: If you receive funding from agencies such as NIH, NSF, DoD, DOE, or other federal sponsors, NSPM-33 has likely affected grant administration and compliance requirements.
Key impacts include:
- Disclosure requirements
- Researchers must disclose:
- Current and pending (other) support
- Foreign appointments and affiliations
- In-kind contributions from outside organizations
- Participation in foreign talent recruitment programs
- Conflict of interest and conflict of commitment oversight
- Institutions must have processes to identify and manage financial and non-financial conflicts.
- Research security training
- Federal agencies increasingly require covered personnel to complete research security training.
- Cybersecurity and data protection
- Institutions handling federally funded research are expected to strengthen cybersecurity and protection of research data.
- Researchers must disclose:
CHIPS and Science Act (2022)
What it is:
The CHIPS and Science Act is a broad law designed to increase U.S. competitiveness in science, technology, innovation, and manufacturing. While widely known for semiconductor investments, it also contains major provisions affecting the federal research enterprise.
Key impacts include:
- Codified many NSPM-33 research security requirements into law
- Making research security expectations more consistent across federal agencies.
- Expanded research security programs
- Required federal agencies and research institutions to implement stronger security, disclosure, and training practices.
- Addressed foreign talent recruitment programs
- Malign foreign talent recruitment programs are restricted or prohibited for researchers receiving federal funding.
- Strengthened federal oversight
- Agencies gained clearer authority to enforce disclosure and research security requirements.
- Invested in U.S. research capacity
- Increased support for scientific infrastructure, workforce development, STEM education, and research institutions.
What Researchers Should Focus on
The most important day-to-day considerations are:
- Accurately disclose all funding and support.
- Report foreign affiliations, appointments, and collaborations when required.
- Complete required research security training.
- Work with your institution’s research compliance office before accepting external appointments or research support.
- Maintain strong data security practices, especially for sensitive research data.
- Understand institutional policies regarding conflicts of interest and commitment.
What is a Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Program?
Arkansas Laws
Research and Education Protection Act of 2025
Arkansas Act 937 places restrictions on certain relationships between Arkansas public entities and designated foreign adversary nations, with a particular focus on higher education, research, intellectual property, and technology transfer.
Key Restrictions Relevant to Researchers
- Restricts research partnerships with entities tied to foreign adversary nations.
- Limits acceptance of certain foreign gifts, grants, and contracts.
- Requires disclosure of foreign funding, affiliations, and collaborations.
- Restricts technology transfer and sharing of sensitive intellectual property.
- Requires institutional review of certain international research agreements.
- Prohibits participation in malign foreign talent recruitment programs.
- Increases oversight of research involving sensitive or strategic technologies.
Practical Impact for Researchers:
- Additional scrutiny of collaborations with institutions or investigators located in covered foreign-adversary countries.
- More rigorous disclosure of foreign support and affiliations.
- Institutional review of research agreements, data-sharing arrangements, and visiting scholar appointments.
- Potential restrictions on sharing sensitive research data, materials, or intellectual property with covered foreign entities.
Contact information
Contact for Research Security: Nicole Schartz, Ph.D., NSchartz@uams.edu