Schools balk at US vetting researchers

The Boston Globe Online ^ | 1/4/2003 | Jenna Russell

[billybudd]

The money, from the National Security Agency, was slated to fund a senior professor in his study of computer architecture. But the NSA demanded to know which foreign students would assist the professor, a US citizen.

In a move that reflects growing national concern at universities about heightened government scrutiny of their research, MIT turned down the federal funding and opted to look elsewhere for the money.

[billybudd]

If foreign students have been admitted into this country as graduate students at prestigious universities, it's hard to see why they should be scrutinized on unclassified projects. If the government is afraid of letting potential foreign enemies gain cutting edge knowledge, it should not let them in at all. I wonder if these universities will be rejecting all government money that requires such oversight. Probably not.

[gaspar]

If the MIT professor wants to play holier than cow with the NSA I feel sure there are other experts at other universities who would jump at the chance.

[gaspar]

Rodney A. Brooks, the Fujitsu professor at MIT, grew up in Australia, took his first degree in mathematics there, and then used a grant to come to America. Whether he is an American citizen is unknown. His prose is laden with so much jargon (you can check the single course that he teaches at MIT) that one can only hope his math-computer competence is more advanced than his writing skill.

[OldFriend]

MIT has a lot to hide. They are now suspected of providing false data to the government in * 1998 * with regard to missile defense technology.

[Grut]

The government has the right to attach conditions to its money and MIT has the right to refuse the money and conditions. No problem. What bothers me is the implication that foreign students are needed to assure quality work; what does that tell us about the product of US schools?

[KC_for_Freedom]

The government has every right to earmark money for "classified" research and in those cases where the classification "No Foreigh Nationals" is applicable then the university should comply. MIT has participated in programs like this in the past and if Political Correctness is more important than the research I am sure the government will find other private contractors willing to bid on the job.

[billybudd]

I don't think it's so much political correctness as the fact that 40% of MIT's graduate students are foreign. They basically cull the cream of the crop from the rest of the world and bring them here, so it's understandable they want total flexibility in deciding who works on what project. But yes, in terms of classified research, strict controls are needed, and even for unclassified research, the government has a right to demand oversight if it's money is used.

[billybudd]

MIT basically takes the very best people from the rest of the world and brings them here. That doesn't mean US students are worse in general, just that foreign students bring a value that wouldn't have existed otherwise. If a professor begins a project in a particular area which few US students are interested or competent in, then foreign students can fill the gap. Basically, you're giving yourself more options by having a diversified (in terms of interests, attitudes, educational backgrounds) student base.