 This is Sally Scientist. She's an electrical engineer at a prestigious university, right here in Nebraska. Sally studies solar energy, and has written a grant to improve energy capture and storage in solar powered drones used by the Army. Sally's just about to submit her proposal through new grant. But wait Sally! Aren't you forgetting something? Let's see. Your research doesn't involve human or animal subjects. And you've already taken care of any potential conflicts of interest. But you're working on electronics for the military. Of course! Export controls. Research in sensitive areas may require special licenses for access to equipment and data. Sally, whatcha gonna do? First, let's talk about what export controls are. Basically, there are rules that say you need to get a license before conducting certain kinds of research involving sensitive items or technologies. When you're writing a proposal, you should think about five questions. Is the grant open to foreign nationals or only to US citizens? Does your research have any military or space applications? Will you be working with pathogens or toxic chemicals? Will you have to get the sponsor's approval to publish your results? Will you have to travel outside the United States to conduct your research? If you've answered yes to any of these questions, your research may be subject to export controls. Sally's research has obvious military applications. Because she's applying to the Army, she should keep some other common items in mind. Many grants from the Defense Department and NASA restrict the participation of foreign nationals and require government approval before publishing or presenting results. Sally's grant has both kinds of restrictions. The staff in the Export Management and Compliance Program are trained to identify potential export compliance risks and help researchers like Sally develop technology control plans, or TCPs, to manage those risks. Here, an Export Control Coordinator is touring Sally's lab to recommend security systems and procedures for her TCP. When developing TCPs, EMCP staff may also consult with the institutional biosafety and radiation safety committees, as well as the information security team, depending on the nature of the project. Because some of the people working in Sally's lab are not U.S. citizens, they'll need to obtain licenses to work on the project. EMCP staff are responsible for determining when export licenses are necessary, and only the university's empowered official has the authority to apply for them. The government typically takes 60 to 90 days to process applications. So Sally planned ahead, and now she'll have her licenses in place without having to delay her research. Way to go, Sally! Before work can begin, Sally's team must complete an Export Compliance Training Course. During the course, EMCP staff will explain how export controls apply to the project and go step-by-step through the TCP. Once that's done, Sally and her team are ready to research. Let's recap the steps Sally went through. First, she submitted a proposal through NUGRAM. Next, her proposal was reviewed by the Export Management and Compliance Program for export control risks. Then, Sally and the EMCP worked together to develop a technology control plan for securing sensitive equipment and data in her lab. Then, the empowered official applied for the required export licenses. Finally, Sally and her team completed an Export Compliance Training Course. Now, Sally and her team can conduct their research in full compliance with the export control laws and regulations of the United States. Way to go, Sally!