DOJ holds University of Delaware accountable for failing to disclose professor’s affiliation with Chinese government in NASA grant

The University of Delaware (UD) recently settled with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and will pay more than $700,000 for not disclosing a professor’s ties to the Chinese government despite receiving federal funding.

“Since 2011, federal law has prohibited NASA from using funds to collaborate with China or any Chinese-owned companies,” the DOJ explained in a press release. “The settlement resolves allegations that UD caused NASA to violate this law by failing to disclose that one of the principal investigators on the grant was affiliated with the Chinese government.”

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Specifically, UD faculty member Dr. Xiao-Hai Yan, a professor of marine sciences, is affiliated with the Chinese government and taught at a Chinese university, yet received funding indirectly through a 2020 grant from NASA.

UD allegedly failed to disclose Yan’s connections with China.

“Federal law requires universities, institutions, and researchers to make disclosures, including certain foreign affiliations, when applying for grants so that the granting agencies can assess whether to fund their research and development,” explained the U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware David C. Weiss.

“My office will hold accountable applicants who undermine the integrity of the federal grant process by knowingly failing to submit complete and truthful applications,” Weiss continued.

UD said that it is “proud of its strong record of compliance in overseeing sponsored research and remains committed to promoting and safeguarding the responsible pursuit of scientific research,” according to the Delaware News Journal. 

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“The University relies, in part, on the candor and complete disclosures of individuals involved in the grant process,” the university administration continued. “As noted in the release, this settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing by the University, but rather a strategic decision to avoid costly and distracting litigation.”

Campus Reform has previously reported about other connections between American institutions of higher education and the Chinese government. For instance, a non-governmental organization with ties to China has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in American colleges and universities, including Harvard College and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Additionally, a Chinese student at the University of Michigan (UMich) illegally voted in the 2024 presidential election and will now face charges for having done so. The student’s vote was illegal because he or she is not an American citizen.

Campus Reform has contacted the University of Delaware and Professor Xiao-Hai Yan for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.