Malign Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Programs

The Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act of 2022 prohibits federal employees, contractors, and awardees—including institutions, individual investigators, and other key personnel —from participating in Malign Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Programs.

Participation in a Malign Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Program by any Cornell employee or researcher, is strictly prohibited. 

A malign foreign talent recruitment program is defined as:

Sponsored by one of the following:

  • A foreign country of concern (defined as the People's Republic of China including Hong Kong and Macau, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Iran, or any other country determined to be a country of concern by the Secretary of State); or
  • An entity based in a foreign country of concern; or
  • An institution or program on certain prohibited lists (contact the Director of Research Integrity and Security for screening).

AND

Any type of program, position or activity that involves one of more of the following:

  • Unauthorized transfer of intellectual property, materials, data or other nonpublic information;
  • Recruitment of trainees or researchers to enroll in such program, position or activity;
  • Establishing a laboratory or entity in a foreign country in violation of terms and conditions of a federal research award;
  • Accepting a faculty position, or undertaking any other employment or appointment in violation of the standard terms and conditions of a federal research award;
  • Being unable to terminate the activity except in extraordinary circumstances;
  • Being limited in capacity to carry out a federal research award;
  • Requirement to engage in work that overlaps or duplicates a federal research award;
  • Requirement to obtain research funding from the foreign government’s entities;
  • Requirement to omit acknowledgement of the U.S. home institution and/or the federal funding agency;
  • Requirement to not disclose participation in the program, position, or activity; OR 
  • Having a conflict of interest or commitment contrary to a federal research award.

If you suspect that you have been contacted by, or are part of a talent recruitment program, please contact the Director of Research Integrity and Security.