Ohio State pays $2.1M settlement as it admits researcher had inappropriate foreign affiliations to China

The Ohio State University acknowledged that a former researcher had "inappropriate foreign affiliations" after agreeing to pay $2.1 million to resolve federal allegations that the university failed to share researchers ties to China while seeking and receiving taxpayer-funded research grants.

The Justice Department alleged Ohio State failed to properly disclose affiliations and financial support involving Chinese universities and state-run research organizations in applications and reports submitted to NASA and the National Science Foundation from 2012 to 2023. 

The allegations included a principal investigators participation in Chinas Thousand Talents Program.

Ohio State told Fox News Digital in a statement Friday that the university ultimately uncovered and investigated C.K. Shums foreign affiliations itself and reported them to federal authorities. Shum is no longer employed at the university.

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"Ohio State uncovered and investigated C.K. Shums inappropriate foreign affiliations and self-reported them to NASA and the National Science Foundation," Benjamin Johnson, chief communications officer at The Ohio State University, told Fox News Digital in a statement Friday. 

"The university suspended Shums principal investigator privileges, halted spending on the relevant federal awards, initiated disciplinary proceedings and repaid the federal grant funds in question. Shum is no longer employed at Ohio State, and the university has cooperated with federal authorities throughout the investigation.

"Ohio State takes national security seriously, and the university has long been recognized for its efforts to promote research integrity and security. Safeguards include dedicated research compliance and secure research offices, mandatory conflict-of-interest and research security disclosure systems and robust security and foreign influence training programs."

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In a press release, the Department of Justice said the grant applications required OSU to share any ties to any foreign government.

"The settlement resolves allegations that OSU failed to disclose the collaboration and affiliation with, or funding received from, the PRC by certain OSU employees working on NASA and NSF grants," the press release said. 

"Specifically, the settlement resolves allegations that, since 2014, annual Faculty Activity Reports submitted to OSU identified affiliations with PRC universities and state-run research organizations, but OSU did not disclose this information to NASA or NSF."

The press release also noted that Ohio State became aware in 2019 that a researcher tied to NASA-funded work wa