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NSF faces shake-up as officials abolish its 37 divisions

science.org

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Re: NSF faces shake-up as officials abolish its 37 divisions

#14
> A spokesperson for NSF says the rationale for abolishing the divisions and removing their leaders is “to reduce the number of SES [senior executive service] positions in the agency and create new non-executive positions to better align with the needs of the agency.”

Reducing bureaucracy is not the same as cutting science funding.

Re: NSF faces shake-up as officials abolish its 37 divisions

#15
post #5

Why not take up those projects which align with the goals of the government? After all, science is also also about adaptation and survival.

the goal is to destroy the administrative state, not do research. it’s ideological.

https://www.propublica.org/article/video-donald-trump-russ-v...

Re: NSF faces shake-up as officials abolish its 37 divisions

#16
"In the new structure, even if a revised proposal gets the green light from a division director, a new body whose membership has not been determined will take a fresh look to ensure it conforms to the agency’s new standard for making awards."

I wonder if doge is using ML systems to do this kind of review in a far more centralized way across all of government. With the kind of data they have -- obtained by extra-legal means, a.k.a. theft -- they could exert a lot of control over crucial funding decisions.

The system is a Wild West almost by design. It evolved to prevent misuse. Not perfect, but hard to control quickly by a single authority. To me it seems doge is doing a centralization play so it can implement any directive from the great technoking.

Re: NSF faces shake-up as officials abolish its 37 divisions

#17
post #12
post #5

Why not take up those projects which align with the goals of the government? After all, science is also also about adaptation and survival.

Can you give an example of any science project supported by the current administration?

Anything that makes vaccines look bad?

Nb the outcome is what matters, need not apply if your study might find they aren't so bad.

Sharpie-based hurricane track prediction?

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