In the most recent instance of foreign adversaries taking advantage of vulnerabilities in the American research enterprise, House Republicans are conducting an inquiry into how federal research funds were allocated to an artificial intelligence specialist at UCLA who has connections to the Chinese government.
The incident, along with revelations in a new government oversight report, underscores the inadequacies in the government’s research vetting process, posing a risk to national security.
Letters were sent to UCLA, the Pentagon, and the National Science Foundation by the Republican chairs of two committees, seeking information regarding $30 million in research funding granted to a UCLA computer scientist who relocated to China in 2020 and has been contributing to China’s AI advancements.
A Senate report from 2019 outlined how the Chinese government had gained access to federally funded research over a two-decade period.
An alarming oversight by the National Science Foundation came to light as they discovered the researcher’s collaboration with the Chinese government only after awarding the research funding.
The investigation sheds light on a larger issue highlighted in a bipartisan Senate report from 2019, revealing how the Chinese government leveraged federally funded research for economic and national security gains over 20 years.
Federal agencies continue to struggle with effectively vetting research grant applicants to safeguard against national security threats, jeopardizing the $200 billion allocated by the federal government for research and development programs last year.
A recent government report exposes the deficiencies in the screening process, with federal databases lacking essential information needed to evaluate research grant applicants effectively.
Efforts to address these weaknesses are crucial. The Government Accountability Office suggested that the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy should spearhead initiatives to enhance information sharing on identifying foreign ownership, control, or influence to mitigate risks to federal research security.
Congress also plays a vital role in this landscape. It should mandate federal agencies, including the intelligence community, to enhance information sharing on foreign threats to the American research enterprise.
Moreover, Congress should bolster existing regulations for educational institutions to disclose foreign gifts and contributions to enhance transparency regarding the influence of foreign funding on the nation’s academic institutions.
Legislation such as the Deterrent Act, passed by the House of Representatives in December, aims to compel disclosure of foreign payments, close loopholes, and ensure accountability for colleges and universities receiving foreign funding.
It is imperative to prevent the exploitation of federal research funding by adversaries. Enhancing information sharing on foreign threats and enforcing transparency in disclosing foreign influence within educational institutions should be top priorities in 2024.
