Guardians of Science: A Research Security Study Tour with Harvard University

On behalf of the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR), CRDF Global is pleased to invite university leadership from advanced scientific and technical institutions in Chile, Brazil, and Peru to participate in a study tour opportunity, Guardians of Science: A Research Security Study Tour with Harvard University. This virtual program, conducted by Harvard University, will take place between July to August 2024. It will address the threat of diversion and proliferation of advanced research, technology, and expertise from universities. 

This study tour will build capacity at universities to mitigate the risks from licit and illicit technology transfer of their advanced research and intellectual property in the fields of artificial intelligence and convergent technologies. Participants will hear from experts in university compliance systems, cyber security policy, research integrity frameworks and view Harvard University’s supplemental policies and discuss their successes and lessons learned.  

Following the study tour, participants will receive mentorship from the project experts to use lessons learned to develop and implement research security trainings or events. Grantees are expected to conduct institutional trainings to relevant staff members of their institutions to socialize the lessons learned during the study tour. Upon conclusion of the individual institutional trainings, Grantees are expected to team up with their two fellow Grantees within their region to jointly develop and implement a regional workshop on research security capacity building for multiple institutions and regional considerations in mind. This is an expectation of all participating fellows. 

All applications/applicants must meet each of the following eligibility criteria: 

1. University/research institution senior leadership responsible for technology development and scientific research and collaborations in Brazil, Chile, and Peru. 

1. Grantees must be committed to planning and implementing an institutional training event, utilizing the lessons learned from the study tour and follow-on mentorship.  

1. Grantees must be committed to collaborating with their fellow grantees within their region to plan and implement a regional-level training event with multiple institutions involved using a budget provided by CRDF Global. 

CRDF Global reserves the right to restrict the participation of any individual or institution in its programs. CRDF Global complies with all U.S. laws and regulations pertaining to export control and the participation of foreign nationals or institutions in its activities. It is the policy of CRDF Global not to conduct any transactions with U.S. restricted entities without appropriate authorization from the U.S. Government. 

All applications must be submitted to techtrainings@crdfglobal.org no later than 31 May 2024 (23:59) Eastern Standard Time (EST) 

All applications and information contained therein will remain confidential prior to the award and will be screened for eligibility and completeness upon receipt by CRDF Global.   

All awards are subject to the availability of funding from program sponsors. All decisions by CRDF Global are final. 

Applications must be submitted to techtrainings@crdfglobal.org.