Definition

The Guidelines for Ethical Principles of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) define the term of security-relevant research based on the following definition chosen by the Joint Committee on the Handling of Safety-Relevant Research (DFG/Leopoldina):

Security-relevant research includes scientific work that has the potential to produce knowledge, products or technologies that can be misused by third parties to harm human dignity, life, health, freedom, property, the environment or peaceful coexistence. This is designated as “of concern” if the misuse can be immediate and the potential damage is significant.

Which departments are affected?

Security-relevant research plays a role in almost all areas of science. Case studies for security-relevant research (of concern) can be found on the website of the Joint Committee on the Handling of Safety-Relevant Research: Link to the case studies.

Who can advise me at KIT?

For general advice on the question of whether one's own research could fall within the scope of security-relevant research, the two ombudspersons for ethical principles are available at KIT  .

The KIT Ethics Committee advises researchers in connection with individual research projects on how to deal with security-relevant research. In particular, the focus here is on advising on reducing the risks of misuse of research services.