Export compliance experts on campus this week
The offices of Research and Economic Development and of Research Security at Mississippi State are sponsoring a series of export control training sessions this week.
"Anyone who is involved with foreign companies or entities or foreign nationals in their research or work environment is invited to attend one of these presentations," said Neil Lewis, the director of research security at MSU.
"Export control laws and regulations can have an impact on how you perform your research and interact with foreign businesses or foreign nationals," he said.
Open to the public, including industry representatives and faculty and staff from other institutions, the seminars will be held on Wednesday [March 18] from 8 a.m. to noon in the Bost Extension Center theater and from 2-6 p.m. in 301 Carpenter Hall, and on Thursday [March 19] from 8 a.m. to noon in the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems' seminar room and from 1-5 p.m. in Colvard Student Union's Fowlkes Auditorium. Each of the four sessions will cover the same information, but offered over a two-day period to facilitate participation.
Admission is free, but registration is required. Visit http://www.tfaforms.com/233027 to register.
Non-MSU participants will need a visitor parking pass from MSU Parking Services via https://msstateparking.t2hosted.com/cmn/index.aspx. The first pass is free, but additional ones are $2 each.
Suzanne Palmer and Lisa Bencivenga with Export Compliance Solutions LLC of Annapolis, Maryland, will be presenting important information, including a basic understanding in Export Administration Regulations (EAR), International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Office of Foreign Assets Controls (OFAC). Additionally, the Export Control Reform Initiative will be discussed.
According to Lewis, ECS is well known for its training academy that was developed to assist the defense industry in its understanding of the very complex maze of federal regulations that controls exports and imports administered by the departments of State and Commerce.
The State Department also has used ECS to perform investigative audits of companies that have violated export compliance regulations, he said.
Export compliance is an important issue at Mississippi State and other major research universities around the country, as well as for U.S.-based companies operating internationally.
"The civil and criminal penalties for non-compliance of export regulations are severe, and they are levied against employees performing the work, as well as the institution," Lewis said.
Contact Lynn Taylor at 662-325-3168 or ltaylor@research.msstate.edu with any questions about the training sessions.
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Jim Laird | Public Affairs
