Op-Ed: We Must Have Both: Bolstering Research Security & Openness

Over the past year, the federal government has expressed increasing concern about foreign interference in the university-based research that for decades has made America the world leader in scientific innovation. The federal intelligence agencies raising alarms have underlined the growing incidence and complexity of threats to universities, which take various forms and originate from an array of sources in cyberspace or from state-directed actors seeking critical information. Facing these concerns, research universities are working — and all higher education institutions must work — to bolster the security of their research without sacrificing the openness and collaboration that serves as a keystone of their research enterprises. To do this effectively, we need a strong partnership with federal intelligence and security agencies.