Research Resources

Research Security Training

The federal government mandates research security training as part of the National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM-33) and CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. The Medical Center addresses these training requirements within the Research Security Policy and Research Security Standard Operating Procedure.

The training is required for Covered Individuals as identified by funding agencies, and anyone working on applicable federally funded research projects. A covered individual is someone who plays a significant role in developing or carrying out a federally funded research project and is designated as such by the funding agency.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please contact our Research Compliance team within the Office of Research Integrity and Compliance to stay informed and compliant with federal guidelines.

Guidelines for Research Security Training

All covered individuals must complete research security training within 12 months prior to any applicable federal funding agency's proposal application or progress report submission (consistent with Section 10634 of the CHIPS and Science Act), and must certify that they have completed the training.

In alignment with federal requirements, our Research Security Training entails the following topics:

  • Cybersecurity
  • International Collaboration
  • Foreign Interference
  • Rules for Proper Use of Funds
  • Disclosure
  • Conflicts of Commitment
  • Conflicts of Interest
  • And more!

Training Modules

Multiple options are available for our researchers to fulfill Research Security Training requirements.

  1. A Medical Center-developed Research Security Training learning module in Workday. Certification for this training is automatically granted and accessible in the Workday system.
    • Please Note: The Medical Center-developed Research Security Training does not fulfill Northwestern’s training requirement. If training at Northwestern is required, please complete the Northwestern-developed research security training as described directly below instead.
  2. A Northwestern-developed Research Security Training. You will be required to provide a copy of your training certification to the Medical Center’s Office of Research Integrity and Compliance.
  3. A course developed by U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF). You will be required to provide a copy of your training certification to the Medical Center’s Office of Research Integrity and Compliance.
  4. Research Security Training and certification from entities other than those listed above will be assessed on a case-by-case basis to determine if they meet Medical Center requirements. Provide a copy of the training modules and certification to Research Compliance for review and determination.   

Policies and Regulations

Medical Center Policies and Procedures:

Federal/Sponsor Requirements: