Hosting Conferences, Meetings & Seminars
Overview
Conferences, meetings, seminars, workshops, symposia, and other scholarly events are an important part of the University's research, education, and public service mission. Most events do not require review by the Office of Research Security (ORS).
However, depending on the participants, research information, equipment, demonstrations, sponsor requirements, or other circumstances, research security, export control, research information protection, cybersecurity, or other institutional requirements may apply.
ORS assists faculty, staff, students, and event organizers in identifying research security and export control considerations before hosting conferences, meetings, seminars, workshops, or other scholarly events.
Request an Export Control Review
Contact ORS Before You
Contact ORS before you:
- Host an event involving representatives of a foreign government, foreign military or defense organization, or restricted entity.
- Plan laboratory tours, demonstrations, or facility visits involving research equipment, technology, software, or technical information.
- Present or demonstrate export-controlled technology, government-controlled information, proprietary research information, or sponsor-restricted research.
- Host an event involving participants from sanctioned or embargoed countries when research activities are involved.
- Plan restricted sessions requiring confidentiality agreements, non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), or other limitations on attendance or information sharing.
- Are uncertain whether research security, export control, sponsor, or other institutional requirements apply.
Key Considerations
Most conferences, meetings, seminars, and workshops involving international participants
do not require ORS review. However, additional review may be appropriate when:
Most presentations involving published information or the results of fundamental research
may be openly discussed. Researchers should consult ORS before events involving:
Laboratory tours and facility visits may provide participants with access to research
equipment, technical information, software, or other research assets. Researchers should consider whether visitors may have access to: ORS can assist in determining whether additional research security or export control
considerations apply.
Some conferences or workshops involve shipping equipment, demonstration materials,
software, or other research assets to or from the event location. Researchers should consider whether: ORS can assist in identifying applicable export control requirements before equipment
or research assets are transferred.
Some federally sponsored projects establish requirements affecting conferences, workshops, meetings, or other project activities.
Researchers should determine whether:
- Sponsor approval is required.
- Publication or presentation restrictions apply.
- Government-controlled information will be discussed.
- Contractual requirements limit attendance or information sharing.
ORS can assist researchers in identifying applicable sponsor and research security requirements.
Related Guidance
Researchers participating in conferences, meetings, seminars, and other professional activities may also need to consider other research security, export control, sponsor, or institutional requirements.
| Related Guidance | Description |
|---|---|
| Conferences, Professional Activities & External Appointments | Guidance for participating in conferences, meetings, seminars, workshops, professional societies, external appointments, teaching, lectures, and other scholarly activities involving international organizations or conducted outside the United States. |
| International Visitors | Guidance for hosting international faculty, researchers, students, visiting scholars, and other research visitors. |
| Sharing Research Information | Guidance for sharing research information, data, software, technology, technical information, presentations, publications, or other research outputs with collaborators, sponsors, companies, government agencies, or other third parties. |
| International Transfers (Shipments, Hand-Carry & Electronic Transmissions) | Guidance for shipping, mailing, hand-carrying, or electronically transferring research equipment, materials, software, technology, technical information, or research information internationally. |
| Working with Government Information | Guidance for receiving, accessing, using, storing, sharing, and protecting government information, including CUI, FCI, Government-Furnished Information (GFI), and other government-controlled information. |
| Working with Proprietary & Confidential Research Information | Guidance for receiving, accessing, using, storing, sharing, and protecting proprietary or confidential research information received from sponsors, collaborators, companies, universities, and other external organizations. |
| Restricted Entity Screening | Guidance for screening organizations and individuals against applicable U.S. Government restricted party and restricted entity lists. |
| Sanctions & Embargo Programs | Guidance regarding research activities involving sanctioned or embargoed countries. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do most conferences and seminars require ORS review?
No. Most conferences, meetings, seminars, workshops, and other scholarly events do not require ORS review.
Should I contact ORS before inviting an international speaker?
Not necessarily. ORS should be consulted when the event involves export-controlled technology, government-controlled information, sponsor restrictions, foreign military organizations, restricted entities, or other research security considerations.
Are laboratory tours a research security consideration?
Possibly. Laboratory tours or demonstrations involving export-controlled equipment, technical information, proprietary research information, or government-controlled information may require additional review.
Can export-controlled equipment or technology be demonstrated?
Possibly. Export control requirements depend on the equipment, technology, participants, and circumstances of the demonstration.
Researchers should consult ORS before demonstrating export-controlled equipment or technology.
Do virtual conferences or webinars create research security concerns?
In some circumstances. Research security, export control, or sanctions considerations may apply when controlled or restricted research information is shared electronically or when an event involves sanctioned destinations, organizations, or individuals.
Need Assistance?
Contact ORS if you are uncertain whether research security, export control, sponsor, information protection, or other institutional requirements apply to a conference, meeting, seminar, workshop, or other scholarly event.