A session at the recent annual gathering of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Phoenix, Arizona marked the 50th anniversary of the organization’s R&D Budget and Policy Program. Norine Noonan and Susan Coady Kemnitzer, both former leaders with backgrounds in science agencies and the White House, provided their perspectives on the challenges confronting universities and research funders in the US. They analyzed the contemporary research funding environment, characterizing it as a philosophical assault on science, which erodes evidence-based decision-making and inflicts long-lasting harm on the research community.
This era in US history has seen notable cuts in the budgets of research agencies, adversely affecting programs such as the EPA’s Office of Research and Development and the NSF Graduate Research Fellowships. The perception that international students are not welcomed in the US further intensifies these challenges, with the potential to undermine the country’s established role as a global leader in R&D.
States are taking initiatives to offset federal budget cuts, forming coalitions to sustain research initiatives overlooked by the federal government. For example, California and other states are participating in international health projects to address the voids created by federal inaction. The discussion underscored the significance of data gathering to assess the repercussions of these shifts on employment, university admissions, and the overall economy. Noonan and Kemnitzer stressed the necessity of maintaining a historical record of these changes to guide future actions and protect the R&D enterprise in the US.