"One of the US government's top scientific research labs is taking steps that could drive away foreign scientists, a shift lawmakers and sources tell WIRED could cost the country valuable expertise and damage the agency's credibility. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) helps determine the frameworks underpinning everything from cybersecurity to semiconductor manufacturing. Some of NIST's recent work includes establishing guidelines for securing AI systems and identifying health concerns with air purifiers and firefighting gloves."
"Lofgren wrote that while her staff has heard about multiple rumored changes, what they have confirmed through unnamed sources is that the Trump administration "has begun taking steps to limit the ability of foreign-born researchers to conduct their work at NIST." A NIST employee tells WIRED that some plans to bring on foreign workers through the agency's Professional Research and Experience Program have recently been canceled because of uncertainty about whether they would make it through the new security protocols."
NIST is adopting measures that could restrict foreign scientists and potentially drive them away from the agency. NIST sets frameworks for areas including cybersecurity, semiconductor manufacturing, AI security guidelines, and health assessments of consumer and protective equipment. Large numbers of NIST employees, postdocs, contractors, and guest researchers are recruited internationally for specialized expertise. Congressional staffers received reports and unnamed sources confirmed steps to limit foreign-born researchers' ability to work at NIST. Reports indicate international graduate students and postdoctoral researchers may face a three-year cap despite research often requiring five to seven years. Some hiring plans through the Professional Research and Experience Program have been canceled amid security-protocol uncertainty.
Read at WIRED
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