Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs
Will participation in a foreign talent program impact the odds of my securing federal research support?
Participation in non-US talent programs might have an impact on certain federal-sponsored research opportunities, depending in large part on specific agency rules and policies, and researchers should expect strict prohibitions from participating in so-called "maligned" foreign talent recruitment programs.
As of mid-2023, the Department of Energy policy (DoE Order 486.1A) is the strictest, generally prohibiting federal and contractor employees--including university personnel working on contracted research--from participating in certain foreign talent programs.
The Department of Defense appears to be headed in a similar direction, although it has not formally banned participation as of mid-2023.
The National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, US Department of Agriculture, and most other federal sponsors require disclosure of any participation in such programs. However, none have formally stated that they view talent program participation by itself as an inherently problematic or disqualifying factor. This could change over time.