Title: Unpredictable Prospects for U.S. Science: Nobel Winners Raise Alarms Amid Federal Funding Reductions and Visa Revocations
Recently, escalating worries regarding the condition of science in the U.S. have captured national focus, with leading researchers—including Nobel Prize winners—raising alarms about an environment marked by increasing uncertainty, declining federal funding, and sudden policy shifts that could jeopardize the future of research and innovation.
Central to this issue is Columbia University, a premier academic and research institution, which found itself embroiled in political controversy after the Trump administration abruptly halted $400 million in research grants and contracts in March. The administration referenced dissatisfaction with the university’s response to student protests regarding the Gaza conflict as a rationale for this punitive action. Although the funding was eventually restored after Columbia complied with certain federal stipulations, the incident has raised fears that political meddling could be eroding the country’s scientific preeminence.
Renowned cryo-electron microscopy expert Joachim Frank, who earned the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2017, is among those who feel the impact of this unstable climate. “At Columbia, we experience total uncertainty from one day to the next,” Frank expressed during a recent interview. He highlighted that the university is now facing not only political scrutiny but also reductions in essential research infrastructure.
Decline in Funding and Reduced Research Prospects
Having joined Columbia in 2008 with backing from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), Frank unexpectedly lost his funding from the organization in September 2017—just a month prior to his Nobel announcement. Since then, he has considerably scaled down his research group, depending on a consolidated grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
However, renewed anxieties have emerged regarding the sustainability of that funding. The NIH, following new directives from the Trump administration, has introduced financial restrictions, including a contentious cap on indirect cost reimbursements to research institutions—reducing this from around 30% to merely 15%. This alteration jeopardizes the viability of fundamental infrastructure like lab utilities and administrative support. Though a federal judge blocked the policy in early April, the NIH appealed, perpetuating uncertainty for labs.
In January, Frank chose not to renew his NIH grant, citing the adversarial climate towards science as well as his age—he is now 84. Although he recently secured a modest grant from the National Science Foundation for three years, he fears that inadequate federal backing could put an end to his research endeavors. If future funding avenues continue to diminish, Frank has suggested that he might soon retire.
“My efforts to develop cryo-EM for visualizing complex biological processes over fleeting moments will struggle,” Frank stated, lamenting that were it not for familial ties in the U.S., he would relocate to Europe to pursue his academic career. He is not alone; similar thoughts resonate throughout the scientific community.
A Nationwide Departure: Scientists Seeking Stability Overseas
Joachim Frank’s apprehensions are echoed by David Baker, a professor at the University of Washington who shared the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his contributions to protein design. Baker has noted a distinct trend: an increasing number of early-career researchers, including graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, are pursuing job opportunities internationally. “About 15 researchers at our Institute for Protein Design are already seeking positions abroad, several of whom have accepted offers,” he informed Chemistry World.
Baker estimates that roughly two-thirds of those looking for opportunities overseas are international scholars, while one-third are U.S. citizens. He attributes this trend to the unstable funding landscape along with the cancellation of academic visas throughout the country.
In a significant escalation, the Trump administration has rendered more than 1,000 student and scholar visas invalid since March, affecting individuals at over 150 colleges and universities nationwide. The University of Washington is among the affected institutions, recently revealing the revocation of visas for five students and four postgraduates without prior notification or justification.
This crackdown has created a chilling atmosphere. “Some of our close collaborators in other labs have already had their visas revoked,” Baker adds, cautioning that without federal intervention, this trend could lead to long-lasting damage to the U.S.’s leading role in global science.
Visa Issues and Legal Challenges
The unexplained cancellation of visas and even green cards has raised alarms among academic institutions and immigration advocacy groups. For instance, a recent investigation by the Associated Press confirmed that numerous permanent residency applications for foreign researchers were annulled without explanation. A particular chemical engineering student was taken aback when his visa was suddenly canceled, abruptly derailing his academic journey.
In response, the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration filed an amicus brief to a federal court on April 9, contesting the administration’s actions. The brief contends that the widespread cancellation of visas undermines America’s academic reputation and violates the foundational principles of