renzume.

Federal Budget

The University of Pittsburgh pauses its Ph.D. admissions process amid research funding uncertainty

The University of Pittsburgh has suspended Ph.D. admissions due to uncertainty surrounding NIH funding cuts, which would reduce indirect research cost caps from 59% to 15%. Other major research universities are taking similar precautionary measures, while NIH grant funding has already decreased by 56% compared to 2024.

National Science Foundation fires roughly 10% of its workforce

The National Science Foundation fired 168 employees (10% of workforce) to comply with a presidential executive order aimed at reducing federal workforce. The terminations targeted probationary employees and intermittent experts, impacting program officers who manage research programs and grant evaluations. Staff warn that these cuts will significantly slow down grant reviews and scientific progress.