National security control over scientific and technical information is characterized by the competing demands of national defense and academia’s freedom to communicate. Most scientists and engineers are convinced that the ability to deal directly with peers regardless of national origin is essential to progress. Thus, restrictions of any kind, however well-intentioned, are viewed with great concern. Indeed a cogent argument can be made that restricting open conversations can slow the advance rate of scientific and technical progress, and thus actually decrease the security the controls are designed to increase.
In order to help the academic community sort its way through the complexities of national security controls on information dissemination, the Department of Defense-University Forum and the Association of American Universities (AAU) put together a clear, easy-to-read package of materials, National Security Controls and University Research. Researchers and administrators will find the information helpful in understanding the issues and tensions that ...
