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Why I'm resigning from the National Science Foundation

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Re: Why I'm resigning from the National Science Foundation

#41

Post by AlexandrB »

Onawa wrote: post #25

As a federal contractor within NIH, I can tell you that the damage has already been done to the United States' dominance in science. Even if every action taken by current administration is reversed, the uncertainty for foreign scientists is too much. Many that I have spoken to are looking for their exit from either gov or academic research, or looking to leave the United States completely. The Trump admins cuts are n…

I'm increasingly sympathetic to the perspective that universities cannot both exclude any questioning of their ideological leaning while also expecting republican administrations and voters to continue funding them. I've seen this best expressed here: https://unsafescience.substack.com/p/the-beatings-will-conti...

It's one thing to want public funding, but it's quite another to want that funding while expecting nakedly partisan purity testing like "DEI statements" for faculty.

Re: Why I'm resigning from the National Science Foundation

#42

Post by eig »

glitchc wrote: post #30
Onawa wrote: post #25

As a federal contractor within NIH, I can tell you that the damage has already been done to the United States' dominance in science. Even if every action taken by current administration is reversed, the uncertainty for foreign scientists is too much. Many that I have spoken to are looking for their exit from either gov or academic research, or looking to leave the United States completely. The Trump admins cuts are n…

[flagged]

The parent commenter is not speaking about science as a whole, they are speaking about US dominance in science.

You state that "hiccup won't stop or even slow down science in the US. All it will do is take government out of the equation." I disagree and I would suspect most scientists reading that statement would also disagree. I too have seen many bright people turning away from the US because of this. I am personally certain that these policies will significantly slow down science in the US.

After all, when David Hilbert was asked in 1934 "How is mathematics at Göttingen, now that it is free from the Jewish influence?", he replied “There is no mathematics in Göttingen, anymore”.

Re: Why I'm resigning from the National Science Foundation

#43

Post by bee_rider »

glitchc wrote: post #30
Onawa wrote: post #25

As a federal contractor within NIH, I can tell you that the damage has already been done to the United States' dominance in science. Even if every action taken by current administration is reversed, the uncertainty for foreign scientists is too much. Many that I have spoken to are looking for their exit from either gov or academic research, or looking to leave the United States completely. The Trump admins cuts are n…

[flagged]

Science will do fine. The US enjoyed the benefits of hosting most of the scientific progress. Americans are worried that we won’t be at the forefront anymore.

It is an evergreen sentiment at this point—maybe a multi-polar world will be better. But I’m an American, I want the US to be winning.

Re: Why I'm resigning from the National Science Foundation

#44

Post by Onawa »

glitchc wrote: post #30
Onawa wrote: post #25

As a federal contractor within NIH, I can tell you that the damage has already been done to the United States' dominance in science. Even if every action taken by current administration is reversed, the uncertainty for foreign scientists is too much. Many that I have spoken to are looking for their exit from either gov or academic research, or looking to leave the United States completely. The Trump admins cuts are n…

[flagged]

It sounds to me like you might not understand the highly interconnected pipeline of scientific research. Additionally, this is much more than just a "funding cut".

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-01146-4 https://archive.is/TOvAo

Re: Why I'm resigning from the National Science Foundation

#46

Post by throwaway5752 »

amanaplanacanal wrote: post #10

Evidently the president appointed one of his personal attorneys to be the new librarian of Congress. The library turned him away because Congress hasn't approved him. It seems it's becoming more of a clusterfuck just about every day.

It's not a clusterfuck. The librarian of congress move was a deliberate hostile attempt attempt by the executive to take control over the legislative branch. Just like AFL vs John Roberts is a hostile attempt to take over the judicial.

It's an concerted attempted authoritarian takeover through bureaucratic methods. When they exhaust this, you'll see them frustrated and declare states of emergencies. The founders wrote about this in the Federalist Papers, people like this have always existed.

Re: Why I'm resigning from the National Science Foundation

#47

Post by searine »

glitchc wrote: post #30
Onawa wrote: post #25

As a federal contractor within NIH, I can tell you that the damage has already been done to the United States' dominance in science. Even if every action taken by current administration is reversed, the uncertainty for foreign scientists is too much. Many that I have spoken to are looking for their exit from either gov or academic research, or looking to leave the United States completely. The Trump admins cuts are n…

[flagged]

>All it will do is take government out of the equation.

The middle-class professional scientist is an invention of post-war governments to create an engine of progress.

Pre-war science was a gentleman's hobby, funded by the bored rich. Corporations largely do not perform any basic science and simply reap ideas sown by academics and bring those ideas to market. Without government funding of basic science the engine of progress stops. No new discoveries or new scientists, at least not in the US.

Re: Why I'm resigning from the National Science Foundation

#48

Post by aaronbaugher »

glitchc wrote: post #30
Onawa wrote: post #25

As a federal contractor within NIH, I can tell you that the damage has already been done to the United States' dominance in science. Even if every action taken by current administration is reversed, the uncertainty for foreign scientists is too much. Many that I have spoken to are looking for their exit from either gov or academic research, or looking to leave the United States completely. The Trump admins cuts are n…

[flagged]

That's because the gloom and doom isn't about science itself. It's about funding no longer being taken from taxpayers and transferred to groups and organizations that are supported by those spreading the doom and gloom.

Re: Why I'm resigning from the National Science Foundation

#49

Post by bee_rider »

sepositus wrote: post #14
vessenes wrote: post #3

Good read; too long to sway public opinion though. The most convincing and interesting thing I’ve read about the US’s science standing is just a reminder that it wasn’t always considered a global science leader. A few people saw the opportunity created by Nazi ideological purges of scientists and built, among other things, Princeton’s IAS. Considered most charitably, the current administration sees itself as trying t…

> If I were in charge of science in a wealthy country right now I would be working overtime to brain drain US researchers. My perception (probably skewed by overly negative media) is that the US is leading a global trend (emphasis on leading). It feels like the world is too busy preparing for war or economic gloom than trying to poach scientists.

Somebody should really tell the world about the artificial sun scientists cooked up last time we asked them to focus all their attention at war stuff.

Re: Why I'm resigning from the National Science Foundation

#50

Post by Ar-Curunir »

nailer wrote: post #37
xqcgrek2 wrote: post #28

[flagged]

I’m not sure why this is being voted down. The NSF did actively pursue DEI and the US government is obligated not to fund organizations that discriminate based on race.

The NSF only had “DEI” requirements (really just requiring grants to have a section on vague Broadening Participation guarantees) due to Congress-mandated laws.
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