Rebecca Keiser, chief of research security strategy and policy at the National Science Foundation, will visit Pitt on Oct. 10 to discuss the changing federal rules around research security.

She will hold an in-person and online discussion open to anyone in the Pitt community at noon Oct. 10 from the William Pitt Union lower lounge. Those attending virtually are required to register, but those coming in-person do not need to.

The recent Chips and Science Act ("Chips Act") passed by Congress provides additional funding for basic science research, but also stipulates a number of new research security requirements, such as:

• A provision that researchers working on federally supported research programs must disclose participation in "foreign talent recruitment programs" in research award proposals.

• A prohibition against researchers working on federal agency-funded programs participating in "malign foreign talent recruitment programs."

• A directive for federal research agencies to establish requirements for investigators to complete research security training.

NSF appointed Keiser to the newly created position of chief of research security strategy and policy in 2020. She previously served as the head of NSF’s Office of International Science and Engineering where she coordinated the agency’s international strategy and actively managed internationally focused programs that further U.S. strategic interests.

Keiser also will meet earlier with members of the University Senate to discuss concerns about the impact of new research security requirements on academic freedom and international collaborations. She also will hold a session at 11 a.m. on “The China Initiative: A Discussion of Lessons Learned by the Government.”