Export Controls
On June 30, 2025, the U.S. Secretary of State issued a press release, “Ending the Syria Sanctions Program for the Benefit of the Syrian People," verifying Executive Order 14312 that revoked the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Syrian Sanctions. This comes in addition to the issuance of the OFAC Syria General License 25 in May 2025, which authorized a broad range of previously-prohibited activities. This revocation will allow for much easier academic and research-related travel, collaborations, exchanges, and exports with and to Syria. Please contact the Export Controls Director for more information on how this impacts your work at UIC.
Research Security
The National Science Foundation (NSF) issued ‘Important Notice No. 149’ regarding updates to the NSF Research Security Policies. Effective on October 10, 2025, ‘NSF requires research security training certifications from proposers and individuals identified as senior/key personnel by the proposer’. Separately, ‘NSF reserves the right to perform risk assessments of proposals and awards … to assess nondisclosures of required information from senior/key personnel and establish other policies and procedures for identifying, communicating, and addressing security risks..’ Further details can be found in the Notice.
The research community is reminded that material transfer agreements (MTAs) are generally required to transfer tangible research materials from one institution to another. There have been several recent arrests related to the importation of scientific samples into the US. Two individuals allegedly brought a potential agroterrorism fungus without declaring the agent in through the local airport. Separately, an individual was charged with shipping “concealed biological material”. In both cases, the individuals allegedly also made false statements related to the materials to federal agents.
Responsible Conduct of Research
Next month’s Responsible of Conduct of Research (RCR) Workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, August 19, 2025, from 11:30am – 12:30pm in 111 PHARM (College of Pharmacy, 1st floor) located at 833 South Wood Street on the West Campus. Dr. Heng Wang, Senior Research Specialist, Biostatistics, Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS), will be presenting on ‘Research Rigor and Reproducibility from Statistical Perspectives “. A light lunch will be provided, please be sure to register and cancel your registration if you are unable to attend.
