Sharing Research Information
Overview
Sharing research information is fundamental to research, education, and scientific collaboration. Faculty, staff, students, and researchers routinely share research data, software, technical information, biological materials, publications, presentations, reports, and other research outputs with collaborators, sponsors, government agencies, companies, journals, and other organizations.
Much University research information may be shared openly. However, before sharing research information, researchers should consider whether the information is subject to export control regulations, sponsor requirements, research agreements, confidentiality obligations, information protection requirements, or other institutional requirements.
The Office of Research Security (ORS) assists researchers in identifying applicable research security, export control, and information protection requirements before research information is shared.
REQUEST A RESEARCH SECURITY REVIEW
Contact ORS Before You
Contact ORS before you:
- Share unpublished research information with collaborators outside Stony Brook University.
- Share research information with an international collaborator or organization.
- Share export-controlled technology, software, technical information, or technical data.
- Share proprietary or confidential research information received from a sponsor, company, collaborator, or other external organization.
- Share government-controlled information.
- Share NIH controlled-access data or other controlled research information.
- Share research information subject to a research agreement, Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), Data Use Agreement (DUA), Material Transfer Agreement (MTA), or other contractual restriction.
- Are uncertain whether research security, export control, sponsor, or other institutional requirements apply.
Key Considerations
The first step is to identify the type of research information being shared.
Examples include:
- Research data
- Software or source code
- Technical information
- Engineering drawings
- Laboratory protocols
- Biological materials
- Research reports
- Presentations
- Manuscripts
- Other research outputs
Different types of research information may be subject to different research security, contractual, or regulatory requirements.
Research security considerations often depend on who will receive the information.
Additional review may be appropriate when sharing information with:
- International collaborators.
- Companies.
- Government agencies.
- Foreign governments.
- Foreign military or defense organizations.
- Organizations subject to U.S. Government restrictions.
- Other third parties.
Researchers should identify the recipient before sharing research information.
Before sharing research information, researchers should determine whether restrictions apply.
Restrictions may arise from:
- Research agreements.
- Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs).
- Data Use Agreements (DUAs).
- Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs).
- Federal sponsor requirements.
- Export control regulations.
- Government information requirements.
- Proprietary or confidential information obligations.
- Other contractual or institutional requirements.
These requirements may limit who may receive information, how it may be shared, where it may be stored, or how it must be protected.
Research information that has been published or is otherwise publicly available may not be subject to the same export control restrictions as controlled technology or technical information.
Examples may include:
- Published journal articles and books.
- Information presented at open conferences or meetings.
- Publicly accessible websites and databases.
- Educational information released through certain academic courses or teaching laboratories.
- Other information that satisfies applicable regulatory requirements for publicly available information.
However, information should not be assumed to be publicly available merely because it is intended for publication or has been shared with a limited group. Sponsor, contractual, confidentiality, or other restrictions may continue to apply.
Contact ORS if you are uncertain whether research information qualifies as publicly available for export control purposes.
Sharing research information with collaborators or organizations outside the United States may involve additional research security, export control, sponsor, contractual, or information protection requirements.
International sharing may include:
- Emailing research information.
- Uploading information to shared cloud storage.
- Providing remote access to research information.
- Sharing software or source code.
- Sharing technical information.
- Providing access to research data.
Sharing controlled technology, software, source code, or technical information with a person or organization outside the United States may constitute an export and may require review before the information is shared. Contact ORS before sharing when you are uncertain whether export control or other research security requirements apply.
Some research information must be protected using safeguards established by sponsors, research agreements, contracts, regulations, or institutional requirements.
Examples include:
- Proprietary or confidential research information.
- Government-controlled information.
- NIH controlled-access data.
- Information subject to a Data Protection Plan.
- Export-controlled technical information.
Researchers should ensure applicable information protection requirements are understood before research information is shared.
Related Guidance
| Related Guidance | Description |
|---|---|
| International Collaborations | Guidance for planning, establishing, conducting, and managing research collaborations with international researchers, institutions, companies, and organizations. |
| Sponsor & Agreement Requirements | Guidance for reviewing and complying with research security, export control, information protection, publication, and other project-specific requirements contained in sponsor solicitations, award terms, and research agreements. |
| Publicly Available Information | Learn when publicly available information is excluded from export control requirements and when additional restrictions may still apply. |
| 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. |
| 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 NIH Controlled-Access Data | Guidance for requesting, receiving, storing, sharing, and using NIH controlled-access data and other sponsor-controlled research repositories. |
| Deemed Exports | Learn when releasing controlled technology or source code to a foreign person within the United States may constitute a deemed export. |
| Data Protection Plans | Guidance for developing, implementing, and maintaining sponsor-, contractual-, or institutionally required Data Protection Plans. |
| 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. |
| Restricted Entity Screening | Learn how organizations and individuals are screened against U.S. government restricted party and entity lists before certain research activities. |
| Export Control Classification | Learn how equipment, materials, software, technology, and technical information are classified under U.S. export control regulations. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share unpublished research information?
Often, yes. However, before sharing unpublished research information, researchers should determine whether sponsor requirements, contractual obligations, export control regulations, confidentiality obligations, or other research security considerations apply.
Can I share research information with international collaborators?
Usually, yes. Most international collaborations proceed without restriction. However, export control regulations, sponsor requirements, contractual obligations, or other research security requirements may apply depending on the information being shared and the recipient.
Does sharing information electronically count as sharing?
Yes.
Research information may be shared through email, cloud storage, collaboration platforms, file-sharing services, remote access, or other electronic means. Depending on the information involved, these activities may be subject to export control, sponsor, contractual, or information protection requirements.
Can I share proprietary or confidential research information?
Only if permitted by the applicable research agreement, Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), Data Use Agreement (DUA), or other contractual obligation.
Researchers should understand applicable restrictions before sharing proprietary or confidential information.
When should I contact ORS?
Researchers should contact ORS whenever they are uncertain whether research information may be shared or whether export control, research security, sponsor, confidentiality, or other institutional requirements apply.
Need Assistance?
Sharing research information is an essential part of research and scientific collaboration. While most research information can be shared without restriction, some research projects involve sponsor, contractual, export control, or other research security requirements that affect how information may be shared, stored, or transferred.
Early consultation with ORS helps researchers identify applicable requirements before research information is shared with collaborators, sponsors, companies, government agencies, or other organizations.