FACULTY RESOURCES

Research Data Services

There are two sets of U.S. policies and federal agency requirements pertaining to research data that are derived from federally sponsored research projects. One set of policies refers to public access to federally funded research and includes requirements for data management and data sharing. The second set of policies focuses on scientific integrity and research security and includes the establishment of research security programs at research universities that receive federal funding.

Public Access

In August 2022, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) updated U.S. policy to include free, immediate access to research produced with federal grants. Although U.S. public access policies have been in place since 2013, OSTP instructed federal agencies that sponsor research to update their public access policies to permit immediate public access to research publications and the underlying data.

Resources:

Research Security

NSPM-33*

What is NSPM-33?

NSPM-33 (National Security Presidential Memorandum-33) was a directive from President Trump that was subsequently endorsed by President Biden. NSPM-33 requires all federal research funding agencies to strengthen and standardize disclosure requirements for federally funded awards. NSPM-33 also mandates the establishment of research security programs at research institutions receiving federal funds. NSPM-33 will also require oversight and enforcement activity in the form of administrative actions as well as civil or criminal penalties.

Why is NSPM-33 required?

There is an increasing need to protect U.S-funded scientific research from undue foreign influence, including exploitation of the open university research environment and intellectual property theft.

What are the goals of NSPM-33?

To protect America’s national security while promoting openness in the research community
To make it clear so that well-intentioned researchers can easily and properly comply
To ensure that policies do not fuel xenophobia or prejudice

NSPM-33 requires a certification from research organizations awarded more than $50 million per year in total Federal research funding, that they have implemented a research security program that includes the four elements:

Cybersecurity
Foreign travel security
Research security training
Export control training

How will NSPM-33 impact OSU?

For qualifying research organizations such as OSU, a research security program should be established as soon as possible, but OSU will have one year from date of issuance of the formal requirement to comply. The Division of the Vice President for Research anticipates the issuance of formal requirements will take place in early to mid-2023, with any new or modified university process or policy to follow.

Currently, the university's policy on international travel (see policy here) requires employees to submit information for all international travel through the University’s Administrative Information Resource System (https://airs.okstate.edu). Additional programmatic aspects of the research security program, such as travel security briefings or loaner electronic devices may be required in the final agency guidance. The university will develop a formal research security training program based on agency guidance and existing export control training requirements will continue and may be modified or expanded as needed.

Resources:

Safeguarding Science Toolkit - a great resource for faculty investigators.
NSPM-33 Implementation Guidance
Clear Rules for Research Security and Researcher Responsibility
NSPM-33

*Content for this section was borrowed heavily from the University of Georgia's Office of Research.