To strengthen the essential role that science and technology play in maintaining national and economic security, the United States should ensure the open exchange of unclassified research despite the small risk that it could be misused for harm by terrorists or rogue nations. Because science and technology are truly global pursuits, U.S. universities and research institutions must continue to welcome foreign-born science and engineering students. Science and Security in a Post 9/11 World identifies specific actions that should be taken to foster open exchange of scientific research.

project scope

With encouragement from the House Science Committee and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health requested that the Committee on Science, Technology, and Law establish an ad hoc Committee on a New Government-University Partnership for Science and Security.

The committee was charged with organizing three regional meetings that:

1) brought together faculty and research administrators, government officials from research and national security agencies, and congressional members

2) focused on:

a) restrictive clauses in federal contracts and grants
b) dissemination of scientific information
c) sensitive but unclassified information
d) the management of biological agents in academic research

Meetings & Events

September 27-28, 2006
Western Regional Meeting
Hosted by Stanford University

Agenda

Transcript, September 27, 2006
Transcript, September 28, 2006

June 5-6, 2006
Southeast Regional Meeting
Hosted by Georgia Institute of Technology

 Agenda

Transcript, June 5, 2006
Transcript, June 6, 2006

May 15-16, 2006
Northeast Regional Meeting
Hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Agenda

Transcript, May 15, 2006
Transcript, May 16, 2006

Reports

The Committee on a New Government-University Partnership for Science and Security released its report, Science and Security in a Post 9/11 World: A Report Based on Regional Discussions Between the Science and Security Communities, on October 18, 2007.

Press Release 

Membership

Jacques S. Gansler, Co-chair
Vice President for Research
University of Maryland

Alice Gast, Co-chair
President
Lehigh University

Arthur Bienenstock
Vice Provost and Dean of Research and Graduate Policy
Stanford University

LouAnn Burnett
Assistant Director/Biosafety Officer 
Vanderbilt University

Karen Cook
Professor of Sociology
Stanford University

John A. Gordon
General, Retired
United States Air Force

Gary Hart
Wirth Professor of Public Policy
University of Colorado
 
Michael J. Imperiale
Professor Microbiology and Immunology
University of Michigan
University of Michigan Medical School

Richard Meserve
President
Carnegie Institute of Washington

Julie T. Norris
Director Emeritus
Office of Sponsored Programs
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Elizabeth Rindskopf Parker
Dean
McGeorge School of Law
University of the Pacific

Sponsors

The project was sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.