A US research collaboration resulting in potentially dangerous drone technology being developed with an Iranian university could’ve been easily prevented with an unclassified  research security check, says an expert from technology company Digital Science.

Sergeant Major (ret.) D.J. Gile, a twenty-four year Army veteran of special operations and intelligence and now Vice President of National Security at Digital Science, said government agencies and research institutions could take some important lessons from the case, which was exposed by The Guardian newspaper.

Reporters found that academic institutions  from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia had collaborated with researchers affiliated with a financially-sanctioned Iranian university known for its close ties to the military. The research was described as having direct military applications.

“With significant national security consequences – and lives at stake – research institutions and agencies should ensure they have the right information to enable decision-making and compliance with national security policies,” Gile said.

“The unintentional collaboration with Iran is a key example of where having the right information available could save everyone from making a mistake they might later regret.”

“This research was funded and performed by Five Eyes countries despite claims that the researchers in question had no ties to Iran. These research collaborations could have been flagged and avoided with the use of Dimensions Research Security to check important details such as affiliations, collaborations, and funding sources,” he said.

More government and industry-backed research institutions in Five Eyes nations are turning to technological solutions to help safeguard their research against foreign influence and theft. A Digital Science solution, Dimensions Research Security enables compliance with policies and security requirements aimed at safeguarding against key threats, such as:

• Foreign influence and interference
• Conflicts of interest
• Undeclared research collaborations
• Intellectual property theft

With the world’s largest collection of linked research data, Dimensions Research Security can quickly and easily collate, link, and cross-reference patents, publications, funding sources, and even institutions’ research activities and the activities of individual researchers, and their colleagues and collaborators.

“Gaining valuable insights into such data means having a greater awareness of risks associated with individuals, their collaborators and funding sources. This can help with due diligence checks, verifying disclosures, and strategic decision-making,” Gile said.

“Researchers may be unaware they’re involved in collaborations that put themselves, their research, and their institutions at risk. The information provided by Dimensions Research Security could be instrumental in speaking with researchers about risk and compliance, helping to avoid foreign influence, and intellectual property theft – and helping to safeguard the nation’s interests,” he said.

Government agencies and academic  institutions in Five Eyes nations – including those conducting defense and cyber security research – are already depending on Dimensions Research Security to protect their organizations. For more information, click the link below:

Find out more about Dimensions Research Security and request a demo today.

(This is an updated version of an original article published by Executive Biz:  https://executivebiz.com/2024/06/digital-science-proposes-more-secure-pathway-for-government-research/)