Ohio State University Pays $2.1 Million Settlement Over Undisclosed Chinese Funding

Ohio State University (Ohio State University’s (OSU)) agreed to pay a $2.1 million settlement to the U.S. Department of Justice to resolve allegations that the university failed to disclose Chinese government-linked funding on NASA and National Science Foundation (NSF) grant applications. The undisclosed ties involved former professor C.K. Shum, who participated in China’s “Thousand Talents” recruitment program while receiving federal research funds. The settlement covers grant activity from November 2012 through August 2023.

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Federal law enacted in 2011 requires universities to disclose any foreign government support received by principal investigators on grant applications. The “Thousand Talents” program, launched by the People’s Republic of China in 2008, offers funding, lab space, and salaries to overseas researchers in exchange for expertise and, in some cases, the transfer of proprietary research. Since 2018, U.S. prosecutors have charged several researchers for similar nondisclosure, including Harvard chemist Charles Lieber and Emory neuroscientist Xiao-Jiang Li.

• Settlement amount: $2.1 million.

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• Portion repaid in 2024: $254,661 of contract funding.

• Grant period under review: November 2012 – August 2023.

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• Shum’s research areas: space geodesy, sea-level change, remote sensing, GPS occultation, temporal gravity field, and ice-sheet mass balance.

The Justice Department emphasized that the settlement “sends a clear message” that institutions will be held accountable for concealing foreign ties. A senior NASA official echoed this stance, stating that the agreement underscores a zero-tolerance approach to threats against research security. OSU spokesman Chris Booker said the university uncovered Shum’s foreign affiliations, suspended his principal-investigator privileges, halted spending on the affected awards, and repaid the disputed funds. Booker added that OSU “takes national security seriously” and has long maintained robust compliance and training programs.

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The case highlights growing scrutiny of foreign influence in U.S. scientific research, particularly where federal dollars fund projects with potential dual-use applications. By enforcing disclosure requirements, the government aims to protect intellectual property, prevent unauthorized technology transfer, and maintain the integrity of taxpayer-funded research. The settlement also signals to other institutions that nondisclosure can result in significant financial penalties and heightened oversight.

• “American universities that benefit from the federal government’s support for scientific research and advancement must fully disclose all foreign funding in their grant applications,” — Assistant Attorney GeneralBrett A, said assistant attorney

• “We will continue to hold accountable any university that fails to comply with disclosure requirements designed to protect research security and federally funded scientific achievements.” — Chris Booker, an OSU spokesman

• “Shum is no longer employed at Ohio State, and the university has cooperated with federal authorities throughout the investigation,” — Mr. Booker, an OSU spokesman

• “The Department of War has zero tolerance for academic partnerships that compromise our national security,” — Emil Michael, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering