Overview
In today’s interconnected world, the security of scientific research is more crucial than ever. The National Science Foundation (NSF) is taking a bold step forward with its new Research on Research Security (RoRS) program, a funding opportunity designed to foster a scholarly understanding of the challenges and best practices surrounding research security.
As the field of research security emerges as a discipline in its own right, now is the time for academic institutions, researchers, and practitioners to invest in securing the research enterprise. The RoRS program provides significant funding opportunities and is vital for building a collaborative, interdisciplinary community committed to safeguarding scientific innovation.
The RoRS Program: Building a Foundation for Research Security
The RoRS program supports research that examines the nature, extent, and implications of security threats within the research environment. The NSF aims to cultivate a dynamic community where STEM researchers, policy experts, and security practitioners work together to shape the future of research security through rigorous, evidence-based studies.
Funding Opportunities
Researchers are encouraged to apply under one of the following proposal types:
- Conferences and Workshops – To promote knowledge-sharing and discourse.
- Planning Grants – To initiate new collaborations or frameworks.
- Early-Concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) – For innovative, high-risk ideas.
Topics of interest range widely, including:
- Identification and mitigation of research security threats,
- Understanding human behaviors and institutional culture surrounding compliance,
- Policy impact analysis,
- Strategies for international collaboration with aligned security goals.
This initiative is grounded in significant national policy frameworks such as NSPM-33 and the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, alongside key reports like the 2022 JASON advisory report and insights from recent NSF workshops.
Equip Your Team with Research Security Expertise
Training is essential for institutions considering participating in the RoRS program or seeking to enhance their research security frameworks. That’s where CITI Program comes in.
CITI Program’s Research Security Training Options
CITI Program provides a number of options for organizations to meet their research security training needs. CITI Program designed its Research Security courses (Research Security: A Basic Course and Research Security Advanced Refresher course) to empower researchers, administrators, and institutional leaders with the tools and knowledge they need to meet evolving compliance requirements and strengthen the security of their research.
Training highlights:
- Comprehensive overview of research security requirements.
- Researcher responsibilities and best practices.
- An in-depth look at threats to the global research ecosystem.
- Practical strategies to safeguard research activities.
This course is an excellent preparatory step for institutions developing compliant, security-aware research programs or submitting competitive RoRS proposals.
In addition to CITI Program’s own courses, we are pleased to provide organizations with access through the CITI Program platform to the Research Security Training developed with support from the NSF and the Research Security Training (Combined) course, which is a condensed version of the four-module NSF course.
A Call to Action
The NSF’s RoRS program is critical in advancing secure research practices. By participating, researchers can shape this growing field while contributing to the long-term integrity of the U.S. research enterprise.
Now is the time to act:
- Explore the RoRS funding opportunity.
- Engage with interdisciplinary collaborators.
- Enroll your team in CITI Program’s Research Security training.
Secure research starts with informed action. Take the opportunity to build the future of safe, responsible, and globally respected science.
