The University of Delaware (UD) has agreed to pay $715,580 to resolve allegations that it failed to disclose a professor’s affiliations with the Chinese government while securing federal research funding, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware announced Monday.
The allegations stem from a NASA grant issued to UD in June 2020, which was intended to support federally funded research. Under federal law, NASA is prohibited from using funds for collaborations with China or Chinese-owned entities.
According to U.S. Attorney David C. Weiss, the university failed to disclose that one of the principal investigators on the grant had ties to the Chinese government.
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These affiliations included:
- Employment at a Chinese university
- Participation in a Chinese government program designed to recruit individuals with access to foreign technology and intellectual property
- A grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China
“Federal law requires universities, institutions, and researchers to make disclosures, including certain foreign affiliations, when applying for grants so that the granting agencies can assess whether to fund their research and development,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware David C. Weiss. “My office will hold accountable applicants who undermine the integrity of the federal grant process by knowingly failing to submit complete and truthful applications.”
NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) worked closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the investigation. Adelle K. Harris, Special Agent in Charge of NASA OIG’s Eastern Field Office, emphasized the importance of safeguarding federal research funding from foreign influence.
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“NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) is dedicated to identifying and aggressively pursuing individuals who conceal affiliations with foreign entities and undermine the integrity of our academic system to obtain research funding,” said Adelle K. Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the Eastern Field Office, NASA OIG. “We commend the exceptional investigative efforts of our agents, and the work of the USAO for the District of Delaware that resulted in this settlement. Along with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to safeguard taxpayer funds that are intended for federal research and development programs.”
The settlement was the result of a joint investigation led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware and NASA OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shamoor Anis and Claudia L. Pare handled the case.
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