Amidst President Trump's executive actions, academic researchers relying on federal grants face significant disruptions. Key scientists are caught in a web of conflicting directives and halted funding, particularly in vital areas like medical research. With NIH and NSF operations grinding to a halt, the future of many projects is uncertain. Researchers express worry over potential long-term consequences of budget cuts and changes in grant distribution, highlighting the criticism from administration officials labeling certain funded projects as 'neo-Marxist'. This environment has led many to doubt the sustainability of their ongoing work.
"I definitely WOULDN'T say things are operating normally right now," Ben Stone, a postdoctoral fellow, said in an email. His funding is flagged for alleged 'neo-Marxist' propaganda.
The Trump administration has put out new orders nearly every day, including now-blocked funding freezes and a ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts.
Officials at the National Institutes of Health have largely stopped awarding new grants, grinding a $47 billion operation to a near halt.
Stone said his guess is that 'we are a long way from clarity (if we ever get it), and that the worst days are yet to come.'
Collection
[
|
...
]