Volume 29 · Number 1 · Fall 2011
Military: It's no secret
Under long-standing policies, the University of California does not accept research proposals where the results cannot be published. That means that there is no "classified" research at UC Davis—classification being the system the U.S. government uses to keep sensitive information secret.
The freedom to publish fundamental research is also a principle that's been upheld by the federal government. In 1985, the Reagan administration issued National Security Directive 189, which states that the dissemination of the results of fundamental research should not be impeded. That position has been upheld by administrations of both parties since.
However, there are some restrictions on research funded by federal agencies in some cases. Some jobs or scholarships may only be open to U.S. citizens, for example, or may require a background check. And there are legal restrictions, called "Export Controls," on exporting or communicating about certain kinds of technology to foreign countries. Those laws apply to both academic and industry researchers.
The branches of the U.S. military do operate their own research labs for classified and unclassified research. The Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, managed by a consortium lead by UC and Bechtel corporation on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy, also carry out both classified and unclassified research.
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