Scholars or Spies

U. S. academic institutions are vulnerable to the threat of foreign exfiltration of valuable science and technology research and development. Exfiltration is a new word being used to describe the surreptitious removal of data, as well as R& D, both of which we'll discuss today. We look forward to hearing from former government and private sector experts about the magnitude and consequences of this threat. We are also interested in learning what actions must be taken to prevent or mitigate this threat in the future without stifling the collaborative research activities that are critical to the United States academic sector. Over the past few years, case after case has been reported at our universities and colleges, all with similar themes. After obtaining access to data and other valuable information, individuals, including professors, students, researchers and visitors-some with strong ties to a foreign nation-attempt to take that knowledge to foreign governments, universities, or companies. In one particular case, a former associate professor at New York University, specializing in MRI technology, had been working on research sponsored by a grant from the National Institutes of Health. According to prosecutors in the initial charges, this individual colluded with representatives from a Chinese-sponsored research institute and concealed the fact that he patented technology developed with NIH funds for the purpose of licensing it to a Chinese medical imaging company for literally millions of dollars. This case and others demonstrate the targeting of the innovation and intellectual property from our country's greatest minds and institutions and, in some cases, the ability for foreign nations to gain easy access by exploiting the lax security posture of our academic institutions.