The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) have issued a new mandatory research security training requirement that applies to all active DOE awards and new proposals submitted to DOE on or after May 1, 2025.
Who Must Complete the Training:
Individuals currently working on DOE or NNSA funded projects who contribute in a substantive and meaningful way to the development or execution of the project scope are considered “covered individuals” and are required to complete the training. At a minimum, this includes the Principal Investigator/Project Director(s) and any Co-Principal Investigator/Project Director(s).
When Training is Required:
- New Proposals: Training must be completed prior to proposal submission after May 1, 2025.
- Active Awards: Training must be completed by May 1, 2025, and annually thereafter for the duration of the project.
How to Complete the Training:
To fulfill this requirement the Office of Culture Ethics and Compliance (OCEC) has added a 70-minute course entitled “Research Security Training” that is now available through TrojanLearn. OCEC will be reaching out via e-mail and assigning this course to all current covered individuals on active DOE awards so that they can more easily complete the training.
How Training Will be Verified:
- New Proposals: DCG will verify that all USC personnel named as “Senior/Key Personnel” in Section A of the Research & Related Budget formhave completed the required training and that their training is current. Proposal submissions will not proceed until the training is complete.
- ActiveAwards: DCG will verify that all USC personnel named as “Senior/Key Personnel” in Section A of the Research & Related Budget form have completed the required training and that their training is current. New award actions will be held until the training is complete.
- Current Awards: PIs, with the support of their department and school research administration, are responsible for ensuring any new covered individuals assigned to DOE or NNSA projects complete the training prior to working on the project.
For questions, please contact the Office of Culture, Ethics and Compliance at compliance@usc.edu