Research Security Communications
The following research security communications have been sent to the 丁香园AV research community on behalf of 丁香园AV's Vice-President, Research and International.
On this page
June 15, 2023 - Update: Research security information and briefing event
March 16, 2023 - Attention 丁香园AV Researchers: Federal research security policy updates
Subject: Update: Research security information and briefing event
Sent: June 16, 2023
To: All faculty, deans, associate deans, research grant facilitators
Dear colleagues,
I am writing to follow-up my March 16 message on research security and to invite you to a briefing on research security from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and Public Safety Canada on Friday, July 7 at Halpern Centre (more details below).
The federal government continues to define how policy changes will be implemented in response to its . We are following this work closely and have created a new web page containing updates and resources related to research security. As important new information becomes available we will update this page and provide email communications to the 丁香园AV community.
You may also have read media reports about the presence of CSIS on some university campuses. I have not received any reports of this nature from 丁香园AV faculty members. If you have concerns or would like to discuss this issue further, please contact me by email at the address given at the end of this message.
As mentioned above, 丁香园AV is hosting a research security briefing on Friday, July 7, 2023. This event will feature an in-person presentation from a CSIS Senior Intelligence Analyst on research security and foreign interference in Canada. Following this, an Ottawa-based Subject Matter Expert from Public Safety Canada will deliver a live-streamed presentation on research security prepared specifically for 丁香园AV. Event details are as follows:
Date: Friday, July 7, 2023
Time: 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: Halpern Centre, Room 114, 丁香园AV Burnaby campus
RSVP: http://websurvey.sfu.ca/survey/450321647
These presentations will provide valuable information about research security, will help to dispel common myths about foreign interference in Canada, and will provide answers to important questions on the topic: What is foreign interference, exactly? Why are Canada, the provinces, municipalities, companies, institutions and community groups targets? How do threat actors engage in foreign interference, and what are the impacts of their actions? How can we protect ourselves, our organizations, and our communities?
Note: This is an in-person event and space is limited-RSVP as soon as possible if you wish to attend. Please forward this invitation or the event web page to any 丁香园AV colleagues who may find this presentation of interest.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding research security at 丁香园AV, please send an email to sfu-research@sfu.ca.
Best regards,
Dugan O鈥橬eil
Vice-President, Research and International and
Professor of Physics, 丁香园AV
vpri@sfu.ca
Subject: Attention 丁香园AV researchers: Federal research security policy updates
Sent: March 16, 2023
To: All faculty, deans, associate deans, research grant facilitators
Dear colleagues,
You may be aware that the federal Ministers of Innovation, Science and Industry; Health; and Public Safety recently made a joint announcement on 鈥減rotecting Canada鈥檚 research.鈥� The announcement includes the following:
鈥淕rant applications that involve conducting research in a sensitive research area will not be funded if any of the researchers working on the project are affiliated with a university, research institute or laboratory connected to military, national defence or state security entities of foreign state actors that pose a risk to our national security.鈥�
There is still a lot of work to be done to fully define some of the terms in this statement (e.g.,鈥渃onnected to military, national defence or state security entities鈥�), and to understand how federal funding agencies intend to implement and enforce the policy. The implications of the policy on how researchers at 丁香园AV do their work will not be fully known until that work has progressed further.
I am a member of a national working group comprised of VPRs of several large Canadian institutions and representatives from many federal agencies (including the security establishment). We have met to discuss this new policy direction and will continue to meet to discuss its implementation. One of my roles on the committee is to raise research community concerns with the wider federal group.
The federal government is also providing, through its research support fund, funds to help universities facilitate research that is compliant with new funding agency rules. As a result of this, you may notice some new hires joining the VPRI portfolio in the next year, as well as other new resources to assist 丁香园AV researchers in building compliant research programs.
I know members of the 丁香园AV research community are understandably concerned about this issue. As we learn more, we will keep you informed. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns, please send a message to sfu-research@sfu.ca.
Sincerely,
Dugan O鈥橬eil
Vice-President, Research and International and
Professor of Physics, 丁香园AV
vpri@sfu.ca
Staff Contacts
Dugan O'Neil
Vice-President, Research and Innovation (VPRI), Office of the Vice-President, Research and Innovation
Email: vpri@sfu.ca