Security Concerns, Scientific Societies, and Globalization

1. Security Concerns, Scientific Societies, and Globalization Kenneth R. Foster Department of Bioengineering University of Pennsylvania kfoster@seas.upenn.edu

2. New classifications for material already in the public domain. Unprecedented interference in the publication of research journals (OFAC proscriptions). Special identity badges for foreign nationals. New restrictions on access to unclassified facilities. Attempts to place non-classified facilities under restrictive controls. Increased dependence on procedures of doubtful value--ie, polygraph testing. New and more draconian classification procedures that threaten to restrict the distribution of scientific information. Complex management schemes that further dissipate lines of responsibility and authority. Impose security regimens on non-weapons labs. The “tier system” is now dead. Post 9/11: The Introduction of More Restrictive Measures (I. Lerch, American Physical Society)

3. 1988 Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act forbids providing services to persons in embargoed countries Berman amendment exempts "information or informational materials" Post 9/11: Patriot act; expand list of embargoed countries to include named individuals, firms, a few universities; more aggressive enforcement by Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Some History

4. Jan 2002 IEEE withholds all member services to members in Iran and other embargoed countries; asks OFAC for a ruling Sept 2003: OFAC exempts peer review and communicating with authors from trade embargoes, but requires a special license for "activities such as the reordering of paragraphs or sentences, correction of syntax, grammar, and replacement of inappropriate words by U.S. persons." IEEE applies for license;meanwhile only publishes camera-ready papers. Some societies stop publishing all articles by authors in embargoed countries, others ignore the ruling Some History

5. Student, Sharif University of Technology

6. April 2, 2004 U.S. Lifts Limits on Editing Articles by Scholars in Embargoed Countries By LILA GUTERMAN http://chronicle.com/weekly/v50/i32/32a02001.htm IEEE can edit and publish papers submitted by Iranians without obtaining a special license. But OFAC "would consider a prohibited exportation of services to occur when a collaborative interaction takes place between an author in a Sanctioned Country and one or more US scholars resulting in co-authorship or the equivalent thereof".

7. OFAC April 2, 2004 • Eight allowable activities: • "Labeling units of measurements with standard abbreviations." • "Correcting grammar and spelling to conform to standard American English.” • "Changing the size of type or the weight of lines in illustrations so that the diagrams remain legible when reduced in size for publication.” • "Labeling illustration captions and formatting references to conform to the style manual" of the publisher. • "Sizing and positioning illustrations to fit on the page appropriately and in proper proximity to references in the text." • "Formatting mathematical equations to fit on the page appropriately and to avoid breakage between two lines in a way that is unclear." • "Ensuring that the author has supplied a biography and a photo.” • "Adding page folios with publication titles and page numbers.” • (that’s all, folks…)

8. When does “editing” add value to an artistic or scholarly work? Should societies and publishers apply for a license? Ignore the rulings? Stop publishing works by authors in embargoed countries? What are the legal constraints on collaborative research? Questions:

9. * *as of 6/15/04 Collaborative ResearchPapers with Authors from USA and Iran or Cuba

10. Dr. H. R. Sadegh Mohammedi Editor, Iranian Journal of Electrical and Computer Engineering “… academicians from different countries are seen … in a global scientific community. They all have their own cultural backgrounds .. but this should not affect their fair communications and good relationships…The rules that are mandated by governments… should have the least intervention … just up to the stage that protect vital issue like the national security...”