New DOE policies would block many foreign research collaborations

[Judi Lynn]

By Jeffrey Mervis, Adrian ChoFeb. 8, 2019 , 4:05 PM

Scientists who work for or receive funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in Washington, D.C., are facing a ban on collaborating with researchers from dozens of countries deemed to pose security risks.

The new policy, spelled out in two recent memos from DOE’s Deputy Secretary Dan Brouillette, are meant to thwart attempts by foreign governments to steal U.S.-funded research. But some scientists worry DOE may be overreacting to the espionage threat, and fear its approach could stifle progress in areas important to U.S. economic and national security.

The first memo, dated 14 December 2018, restricts DOE-funded researchers working in unspecified “emerging research areas and technologies” from collaborating with colleagues from “sensitive” countries. Given DOE’s recent research priorities, the affected fields could include artificial intelligence, supercomputing, quantum information, nanoscience, and advanced manufacturing. The sensitive nations are not named, but DOE now gives that label to about 30 countries for travel and security purposes. The memo also establishes a new, centralized DOE oversight body that will maintain a list of sensitive nations and research areas and has the authority to approve exemptions from the collaboration ban.

The second memo, issued on 31 January and first reported by The Wall Street Journal, would prohibit DOE-funded scientists from participating in foreign talent-recruitment programs such as China’s Thousand Talents program

More:
https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/02/new-doe-policies-would-block-many-foreign-research-collaborations

[Duppers]

1. Russia is on that list.

Hmmmm, a collaboration ban on Russia. Alert the WH.