When should U.S. research be stamped ‘top secret’? NSF asks for a new look at the issue

The U.S. academic community is gearing up for a new effort to convince national policymakers that the benefits of keeping government-funded basic research out in the open—and not stamping it classified—far outweigh any threat to national security from sharing scientific findings. The National Science Foundation (NSF) has asked the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to hold a workshop on factors affecting the classification of federally funded research. Tentatively scheduled for the fall, the meeting is expected to revisit a Cold War-era policy that sets openness as the gold standard and says any classification of fundamental research should be kept to a minimum. “Openness is axiomatic for scientists. But its value has not been articulated in a convincing way to the outside community,” says John Mester, CEO of the Universities Research Association, a consortium that runs several government laboratories and research facilities. But some academic leaders caution that the effort needs to be managed carefully to prevent it from backfiring. They note that China’s aggressive pursuit of emerging technologies has prompted calls from many lawmakers to cordon off basic research on some sensitive technologies, such as quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and biomedical techniques that could be used to produce bioweapons. A massive innovation bill now being negotiated by both chambers of Congress could be a vehicle for such...
Source: Science of Aging Knowledge Environment - Category: Geriatrics Source Type: research