“Are Research Security Policies in the U.S. Working? A Case Study on Research Collaborations with PRC Defense Laboratories and U.S. Federally Sponsored Research”: An Interview with Jeffrey Stoff

Introduction

In this Experts’ Take, conducted by Mathilde Huard and Bastian Szepanski from ISDP’s Stockholm Center for Research and Innovation Security (SCRIS), Jeffrey Stoff discusses the critical vulnerabilities in U.S. and European research security. Mr. Stoff, a non-resident Senior Research Fellow at ISDP, argues that current policies fail to prevent the People’s Republic of China (PRC) from exploiting fundamental research to advance its military capabilities. To address this, he advocates a “paradigmatic shift,” including the creation of a centralized National Research Security, Integrity, and Compliance Center (NRSICC) and a unified framework of “redlines” for allied nations.

Jeffrey Stoff is the founder and president of the Center for Research Security & Integrity, a U.S. non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of research and innovation from harmful foreign influence and interference. He previously spent over 18 years in the U.S. government as a China analyst and linguist. He advised the U.S. White House, senior Department of Defense leaders, the departments of Commerce, Energy, and State; the National Science Foundation; and the National Institute of Health. Mr. Stoff has presented at dozens of conferences and seminars for U.S. and foreign government, academic, and private sector leaders on research security and technology protection issues.

Mr. Stoff is a contributing author of China’s Quest for Foreign Technology: Beyond Espionage (Routledge, 2020), coauthor of “Global Engagement: Rethinking Risk in the Research Enterprise” (Hoover Institution, 2020), coauthor of “Eyes Wide Open: Ethical Risks in Research Collaboration with China” (Hoover Institution, 2021), author of Should Democracies Draw Redlines around Research Collaboration with China? A Case Study of Germany (Center for Research Security & Integrity, 2023), and coauthor of “Transparency and Integrity Risks in China’s Research Ecosystem: A Primer and Call to Action” (Center for Research Security & Integrity, 2024).

This discussion is based on his latest book, “Are Research Security Policies in the U.S. working? A Case Study on Research Collaborations with PRC Defense Laboratories and U.S. Federally Sponsored Research”, co-authored with John Sava and L.J. Eads.