The Free Press deserves a medal, not only for brilliant investigative journalism, but for bringing about real change in the pursuit of short term enrichment over aiding and abetting the enemy. We need more Free Press, and less NY Times and WaPo.
Qatar has been one of the most shrewd operatives with its influence operations and acquisitions, imagine if this was Russia instead of qatar we might have had a completely different response - and that is where lies the problem
A few comments on this article from a retired IP attorney. First, there is ambguity in the article in that at one point it admits that IP ownership arrangements are typical between universities and outsiders (just perhaps not a hostile government outsider) and at another it quotes a "expert" who says universities don't normally relinquish ownership of their research. The answer is, it is extremely normal and part of their funding for universities to provide ownership in research
to 3rd parties. That, in fact, is the main job of most university tech transfer offices. An arrangement where a government funds a local branch of the university and claims ownership of all IP created there - that is a new one on me, but its not a dramatic deviation from the fee generation model I just explained. I totally agree that from a national security standpoint, this type of arrangement should be policed by our government at least through export regulations if not other national security regs. If I can offer any solace I will note that at least with respect to US patent rights - those have been systematically destroyed via the lobbying of big tech monopolies like google and apple to the point where they have next to zero force, trade secrets though are still a troubling issue in this case. On the patent side, if this destruction of US patent rights is of interest here maybe Bari and company can cover in an FP piece, I have scads of colleagues with industry, academic and government backgrounds, who'd be happy to contribute.
At the time TAMUQ was founded, the President of TAMU was Robert Gates, formerly the Director of the CIA, who then went on to be the Secretary of Defense under both Presidents GWB and Obama, the only Sec of D to serve under two Presidents of different parties. Makes you wonder...
As a graduate of Texas A&M with a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering I am not happy about Texas A&M's relationship with Qatar given their harboring and support of Hamas leadership. I am imploring the university to cut ties with Qatar but it may prove to be more difficult than we think.
However, I think the danger this relationship presents is being dramatically overstated. For example, I can tell you that the two reactors referenced in the article may sound ominous but these are research reactors that I used when I went there in 1979-1983. Believe me there is nothing state-of-the-art about that nuclear facility at A&M. The larger reactor is a 1 MW reactor (peak power), when compared to a typical production reactor that runs continuous at 1000 MW, this small research reactor is nothing. The other reactor is a very old and very small AGN-201 reactor that puts out 5 Watts. Yes you read that correctly, 5 W, as in the power of a typical LED light bulb.
In addition, having worked at many DOE facilities in my career the contract A&M has to manage a DOE laboratory is typical of many similar contracts throughout the country that use FFRDCs and universities to manage the labs. It is an administrative function only, and is firewalled against any other University academic and research programs. Any classified materials or programs at a DOE laboratory are only accessed through standard security protocols and clearances. This is particularly true of nuclear weapons materials and design information. There is zero chance of a relationship with a foreign country being granted access to classified DOE information.
Once again, I am not happy with A&M's or any of the other universities that are maintaining relationships with Qatar or other countries (Middle East, China, Russia), but I'm not so sure these relationships will compromise national security. The bigger threat is that of trade secrets, research information, and proprietary data. However, that threat is far more exacerbated by having foreign professors and researchers in our domestic university campuses and Centers of Excellence than anything going on at satellite campuses around the world.
US government has not invested serious $ in nuclear energy for the last 50 years. I’m wondering if a top US university has much proprietary knowledge at this point. Maybe Qatar has been shopping for nuclear energy information in Russia or China also.
What am I missing? TAMU says they aren't participating in any nuclear research through TAMUQ and do not teach any nuclear engineering courses there. It sounds like they just teach a few general ed courses that would help TAMUQ students get into US universities. On the other hand, the Qataris are reported to have paid TAMU hundreds of millions of dollars, presumably over several years. That doesn't seem to add up based on the informatino presented here.
Oh look! Another bully! Btw accusations of hating Israel or anti-semitism have been so overused that they have little relevance anymore. Address the facts.
The Free Press deserves a medal, not only for brilliant investigative journalism, but for bringing about real change in the pursuit of short term enrichment over aiding and abetting the enemy. We need more Free Press, and less NY Times and WaPo.
Qatar has been one of the most shrewd operatives with its influence operations and acquisitions, imagine if this was Russia instead of qatar we might have had a completely different response - and that is where lies the problem
A few comments on this article from a retired IP attorney. First, there is ambguity in the article in that at one point it admits that IP ownership arrangements are typical between universities and outsiders (just perhaps not a hostile government outsider) and at another it quotes a "expert" who says universities don't normally relinquish ownership of their research. The answer is, it is extremely normal and part of their funding for universities to provide ownership in research
to 3rd parties. That, in fact, is the main job of most university tech transfer offices. An arrangement where a government funds a local branch of the university and claims ownership of all IP created there - that is a new one on me, but its not a dramatic deviation from the fee generation model I just explained. I totally agree that from a national security standpoint, this type of arrangement should be policed by our government at least through export regulations if not other national security regs. If I can offer any solace I will note that at least with respect to US patent rights - those have been systematically destroyed via the lobbying of big tech monopolies like google and apple to the point where they have next to zero force, trade secrets though are still a troubling issue in this case. On the patent side, if this destruction of US patent rights is of interest here maybe Bari and company can cover in an FP piece, I have scads of colleagues with industry, academic and government backgrounds, who'd be happy to contribute.
At the time TAMUQ was founded, the President of TAMU was Robert Gates, formerly the Director of the CIA, who then went on to be the Secretary of Defense under both Presidents GWB and Obama, the only Sec of D to serve under two Presidents of different parties. Makes you wonder...
Again, not sure if I can put like on this article - the subject is absolutely terrifying!
More and more our freedom becomes our worse enemy…
“Last year, TAMUQ inked an agreement to develop projects with a subsidiary of Barzan Holdings, Qatar’s largest arms manufacturer.”
Why the fuck are US engineers developing weaponry systems for the enemy ?
Thanks for this well researched, informative article. Such an important topic.
As a graduate of Texas A&M with a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering I am not happy about Texas A&M's relationship with Qatar given their harboring and support of Hamas leadership. I am imploring the university to cut ties with Qatar but it may prove to be more difficult than we think.
However, I think the danger this relationship presents is being dramatically overstated. For example, I can tell you that the two reactors referenced in the article may sound ominous but these are research reactors that I used when I went there in 1979-1983. Believe me there is nothing state-of-the-art about that nuclear facility at A&M. The larger reactor is a 1 MW reactor (peak power), when compared to a typical production reactor that runs continuous at 1000 MW, this small research reactor is nothing. The other reactor is a very old and very small AGN-201 reactor that puts out 5 Watts. Yes you read that correctly, 5 W, as in the power of a typical LED light bulb.
In addition, having worked at many DOE facilities in my career the contract A&M has to manage a DOE laboratory is typical of many similar contracts throughout the country that use FFRDCs and universities to manage the labs. It is an administrative function only, and is firewalled against any other University academic and research programs. Any classified materials or programs at a DOE laboratory are only accessed through standard security protocols and clearances. This is particularly true of nuclear weapons materials and design information. There is zero chance of a relationship with a foreign country being granted access to classified DOE information.
Once again, I am not happy with A&M's or any of the other universities that are maintaining relationships with Qatar or other countries (Middle East, China, Russia), but I'm not so sure these relationships will compromise national security. The bigger threat is that of trade secrets, research information, and proprietary data. However, that threat is far more exacerbated by having foreign professors and researchers in our domestic university campuses and Centers of Excellence than anything going on at satellite campuses around the world.
Why is the mainstream media afraid to investigate these stories?
https://www.jns.org/colleges-universities/campus-antisemitism/23/6/14/294984/
The number of US schools with branches in Qatar is ridiculous
US government has not invested serious $ in nuclear energy for the last 50 years. I’m wondering if a top US university has much proprietary knowledge at this point. Maybe Qatar has been shopping for nuclear energy information in Russia or China also.
What am I missing? TAMU says they aren't participating in any nuclear research through TAMUQ and do not teach any nuclear engineering courses there. It sounds like they just teach a few general ed courses that would help TAMUQ students get into US universities. On the other hand, the Qataris are reported to have paid TAMU hundreds of millions of dollars, presumably over several years. That doesn't seem to add up based on the informatino presented here.
Never do business with a man wearing flip-flops.
Thank God that The Free Press published this. When does the public and Washington DC wake up? David
Oh look! Another bully! Btw accusations of hating Israel or anti-semitism have been so overused that they have little relevance anymore. Address the facts.
Kinda like the almost continual accusations of “racism” over the last few years?