New U.S. Department of Defense Policy Imposes Security Reviews for Universities and Labs Engaging in Fundamental Research

Last week, the U.S. Department of Defense (“DoD”) issued a memorandum explaining new requirements in its efforts to “Counter Unwanted Foreign Influence in Department-Funded Research at Institutions of Higher Education” (the “Memorandum”). The Memorandum discusses DoD’s new processes to review proposals from higher education institutions for fundamental research opportunities, with a focus on security threats posed by China, Russia, and other malign actors.