Research Security

The Office of Research Security and Export Control (ORSEC) identifies research security and export control risks, reviews numerous university transactions from sponsored research to visa sponsorship, and provides guidance and training to university personnel. ORSEC works to ensure that federally funded research activity at UGA meets evolving federal mandates for the creation of a “research security program.” Additionally, the Office will help develop the safeguarding requirements for controlled unclassified and classified information.

The research security program is required by federal funding agencies for universities that receive more than $50 million in federally funded research per year by National Security Presidential Memorandum-33. NSPM-33’s requirements will apply to all federally funded research that UGA performs.

ORSEC continues to provide guidance and training for compliance with federal export control and economic sanctions regulations. These regulations govern the transfer of controlled items abroad, or the access to controlled information by foreign nationals in the United States. These federal regulations exist to protect U.S. national security and foreign policy interests. Export controls are usually implicated when the research, or research tool or equipment, has military or certain dual military and commercial application. Certain university activity may also be restricted by U.S. economic sanctions.