Research Security

Background

The current regulatory landscape informing the research enterprise includes serious growing concerns by the U.S. government regarding malign influence over federally funded research. To address the growing concerns around research security, U.S. federal regulations such as the National Security Presidential Memorandum 33 (NSPM-33) and the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 require specific individuals involved in federally funded research to complete research security training.

What is research security training?

The U.S. government has defined “research security” as “safeguarding the research enterprise against behaviors aimed at misappropriating research and development to the detriment of national or economic security, related violations of research integrity, and foreign government interference.” Collectively, the laws, regulations, and University policies and procedures relating to research security aim to mitigate the threat to the U.S. research enterprise and individual researchers posed by parties who wish to take advantage of the culture of openness and collaboration of the U.S. research ecosystem. Research security training is designed to create awareness of, and protect against, these threats.

Policy

Beginning October 1, 2025, UW-Eau Claire requires completion of the consolidated research security training module in accordance with federal agency policies. The National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Department of Energy (DOE) require:

• All senior/key personnel (PIs, co-PIs, and faculty researchers) and covered individuals are required to complete research security training within 12 months prior to proposal submission.
• Senior/key personnel and covered individuals from recipients or subrecipients added to an existing award that includes research security training must complete the training within 30 calendar days of joining the award.
• Research security training must be completed annually for senior/key personnel and covered individuals on active awards.

Procedure for Completing Training

The SECURE Center condensed research security training module takes approximately 1 hour.

1. Self-enroll in the Canvas Research Compliance Trainings course: https://uweau.instructure.com/enroll/HT36JE
2. Click on the Research Security Training Module and complete all 4 sections of the condensed module.
3. When you have completed the module, fill out and save your certification of completion. Upload the certificate to the assignment Research Security Training Certificate Assignment.
4. Send a copy of the certificate to the Manager of Grants and Contracts in ORSP.
5. Save a copy of your certificate for your records.

Additional Resources

Department of Energy

• DOE Financial Assistance Letter

National Science Foundation (NSF)

• Research Security at the National Science Foundation
• Important Notice No. 149: Updates to NSF Research Security Policies
• Update: Recission Notice re: Implementation of NIH Research Security Policies: NOT-OD-25-161

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

• NIH Notice NOT-OD-25-154: Implementation of NIH Research Security Policies
• NIH Notice NOT-OD-25-133: NIH Announces a New Policy Requirement to Train Senior/Key Personnel on Other Support Disclosure Requirements

Research Security Training

• NSF Research Security Training Modules (4 modules, 1 hour each)
• SECURE Center—Creator of consolidated research security training module UWEC is using

U.S. federal regulations regarding research security:

• Recommended Practices for Strengthening the Security and Integrity of America’s Science and Technology Research Enterprise by the Joint Committee on the Research Environment of the National Science & Technology Council (PDF)
• Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act of 2022
• Countering Unwanted Foreign Influence in Department-Funded Research at Institutions of Higher Education (PDF)
• Guidelines for Federal Research Agencies Regarding Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs (PDF)
• National Security Presidential Memorandum 33 (NSPM-33)
• National Security Presidential Memorandum-33 (NSMP-33) Implementation Guidance (PDF)

Updated 9/22/2025.