Research Security Training

The National Science Foundation (NSF),Department of Energy (DOE) and United States Department of Agriculture now require research security training for all proposers. It is anticipated that the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Department of Defense (DoD) and other granting agencies will soon follow suit.

Who Must Complete the Training

All individuals identified as senior/key personnel.

Senior/key personnel are all individuals critical to a project's scientific and technical execution, including the principal investigator (PI) and others who contribute substantively and measurably to the project's success. This includes anyone required to submit a biosketch.

When to Complete the Training

The training must be completed before submitting a proposal.

How to Access Training

NIU prefers CITI Program for research security training.

1. Log in or create a free account
2. Select add a course
3. Answer no to question 1
4. Scroll to question 8
5. Choose one of the following:
   • Research Security Training (Combined Course) - condensed one-hour version based on the NSF Research Security Training
   • Research Security Training - more in-depth four-hour version
6. Upon completion, your record will automatically be sent to RIPS

Note: the NSF SECURE training is also acceptable. You will have to provide proof of completion to researchcompliance@niu.edu. Additionally, if you have taken another alternative research security training you believe completes the requirements, you must provide proof of completion and discuss with ORCIS. CITI is the preferred training for monitoring purposes.

Training Renewal

The training must be taken within 12 months of submission. If you have previously taken the Research Security Training (Combined Course) or the Research Security Training, you can select Research Security Advanced Refresher instead.

Need Assistance?

Contact researchcompliance@niu.edu for help or questions.