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.
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.
Recent concerns emerge about potential US government interference with academic platforms like arXiv, GitHub, and university IT systems, particularly regarding DEI policies and federal funding. ArXiv's cloud-based infrastructure and dependence on federal funding through Cornell University raise questions about its vulnerability, though bulk download options exist for data preservation.
Japanese funding agencies predominantly support research within strict disciplinary boundaries, leading to underfunding of interdisciplinary research and missed breakthrough opportunities. The authors propose five directions to foster interdisciplinary research in Japan, including shifting to researcher-focused funding and embracing high-risk projects, while highlighting successful models like OIST's approach to cross-disciplinary collaboration.
A detailed expose of the Trump Administration's unprecedented actions to disrupt and restructure US scientific funding agencies, including NIH, NSF, and CDC, through funding freezes, communication bans, and policy changes. Recent directives have targeted diversity programs, restricted scientific communications, and caused widespread uncertainty among researchers and staff, leading to potential long-term impacts on American scientific research.
Social media discussion reveals concerns about a controversial list of forbidden words in US academia, particularly affecting scientific research and technological development. Users criticize Project 2025 and its implications for academic freedom, scientific progress, and diversity in research.