In this perspective in Federal Times, Don Blersch, Clearspeed SVP of Government Innovation, discusses how through embracing innovation in risk assessment the U.S. can continue to safeguard its position among the leaders in technology and innovation.
The U.S. faces significant challenges, including climate change, cyber threats, resource scarcity, and global health crises. To address these and many other issues, the nation has long attracted international scientists to collaborate on scientific and technological breakthroughs.
Well known examples include the Human Genome Project, space exploration, Silicon Valley, and biomedical research. Further, in the ever-evolving landscape of science and innovation, the U.S. stands as a beacon for global talent, attracting brilliant minds to its research institutions and universities. This influx of international scientists and engineers has undeniably enriched the nation’s scientific endeavors, leading to countless breakthrough discoveries, transformative innovations, and advancements.
However, amidst the celebration of diversity and collaboration lies a growing concern – the need to balance the openness of the U.S. research enterprise and maintain the nation’s competitive edge on the global stage with the imperative to safeguard national security interests.
Revelations and discussions from this year, as articulated in a GAO Report on Research Security released in January 2024; in remarks made by the Director of National Intelligence, Avril Haines, in her March 2024 testimony before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence; and in widely reported revelations by the FBI, have highlighted the potential risks associated with foreign researchers working on sensitive projects.
Now, especially as we approach the election, the conversation has turned to how best to protect intellectual property and prevent the unwanted compromise and nefarious exploitation of critical technology by foreign adversaries and other bad actors, including terrorist groups and those that mean to do harm to our national well being. While this is not an easy tension to navigate, it is one we can indeed manage consistent with our national values as we continue to forge ahead with advanced scientific research and technology development to the benefit of all people, everywhere.
At the heart of the matter lies the challenge of finding a solution that does not stifle the flow of talent while ensuring that the nation’s interests are protected. This delicate balance requires a departure from conventional approaches to risk assessment, which often rely on simplistic country-based criteria or blanket restrictions that paint various foreign researchers with the same brush of suspicion.
