The Ohio State University has agreed to pay $2.1 million following allegations of failing to disclose researchers’ connections to China while securing federal research grants. The Justice Department stated that Ohio State did not properly disclose affiliations with Chinese universities and state-run organizations in applications to NASA and the National Science Foundation from 2012 to 2023. The allegations involved a principal investigator’s participation in the Thousand Talents Program in China.
Ohio State self-reported these foreign affiliations linked to C.K. Shum and cooperated with federal authorities. Shum, previously employed by the university, is no longer associated with it. Ohio State suspended his principal investigator privileges, stopped spending related federal awards, and initiated repayment of the federal grant funds. The university emphasized its commitment to national security and research integrity by implementing robust compliance systems and offering training on security matters.
Ohio State uncovered and investigated C.K. Shum’s inappropriate foreign affiliations and self-reported them to NASA and the National Science Foundation.– Benjamin Johnson, Chief Communications Officer, The Ohio State University
The Department of Justice noted in a press release that the settlement addresses allegations of the university not disclosing collaborations and affiliations with the People’s Republic of China by certain employees involved in NASA and NSF grants. It also highlighted that while OSU became aware of a researcher’s ties to China’s Thousand Talents Program in 2019, it waited until 2023 to report this to federal agencies.
The federal government regards the Thousand Talents Program as a strategy by Beijing to recruit individuals with access to foreign technology and intellectual property. The DOJ uncovered that other OSU employees engaged in NASA and NSF projects had connections with Chinese entities or received funding from them.
American universities that benefit from the federal government’s support for scientific research and advancement must fully disclose all foreign funding in their grant applications.– Brett Shumate, Assistant Attorney General, DOJ Civil Division
The DOJ emphasized the importance of adherence to disclosure requirements to safeguard research security and uphold the integrity of federally funded scientific work. Rachel del Guidice is a culture reporter for Fox News who covers the cross-section of politics, faith, family, and American culture.