Pitt Research
Office of Research Protections

In response to feedback from the University community, we are pleased to announce a new, streamlined Research Security Refresher Course designed to meet federal research security training requirements — while being more relevant to the day-to-day work of Pitt faculty, staff, and students.

A Convenient Review Option

A PDF version of the training material is available at the link below. Reviewing it before logging into CITI to take the quiz can save time, and it is recommended that you keep a copy as a useful reference for navigating research security requirements.

📄 Download the PDF Training Module

Why This Training Matters

The CHIPS and Science Act requires that all key and covered personnel complete research security training within 12 months prior to submitting a new or competing proposal. Several federal agencies have already implemented this requirement, including the Department of Energy (DOE), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will implement this requirement on May 25, 2026.

At the time of submission, you must certify — under penalty of law — that all key and covered personnel listed on the award have completed research security training within the prior 12 months. For many investigators, this means the training must be completed annually.   Investigators are responsible for tracking their own training completion so they can accurately confirm, at the time of submission of a new or competing proposal, that the required research security training was completed within the prior 12 months.

How to Access the Course

The refresher course is available through the CITI Program. To enroll:

1. Log in at citi.pitt.edu
2. Navigate to the bottom menu on the course listing page, Learner Tools for University of Pittsburgh, and click "Add a Course"

3. Scroll to the bottom of the page; under Other Courses Available select "Research Security Training – Refresher"

4. If you've previously completed Research Security Training, a dialogue box will appear asking whether you'd like to take the refresher or the original course. Select the Refresher Training.

The course will then appear in your "Courses Ready to Begin" menu.

Please note that you must complete the quiz at the end of the module to receive credit for the training. If you have already reviewed the PDF version of the training, you can skip directly to the quiz at the bottom of the CITI module without reviewing the material again.