NSF: Pilot of a new four-year Ph.D. model ($47 million federal funding + $ from universities & private industry) Pilot recommended in "Science: A New Golden Age, a report to the president released last week by WH Office of Sci. & Tech. Policy Director Michael Kratsios." www.nsf.gov/news/nsf-par...

NSF partners with universities and industry on pilot initiative for four-year Ph.D. programs with real-world research placements

The U.S. National Science Foundation announced a $47 million investment over five years, along with additional financial commitments from nearly three dozen universities and private industry...

nsf.gov

AAU urges OMB to rescind or seriously modify its proposed changes to "Uniform Guidance," the framework by which federal grants are administered. These changes would adversely impact our nation's scientific enterprise. Read more:

AAU Tells Administration Proposed Grant Regulations Would Endanger America’s Scientific Enterprise | Association of American Universities (AAU)

AAU has submitted comments to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), urging it to rescind or seriously modify a set of changes the agency has proposed that would affect the entire system for federal grants and other federal financial assistance.

aau.edu

Congress rejected massive cuts to US science budgets for 2026, but much of the money still isn’t flowing to researchers. The culprit? The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is quietly slow-walking the release of funds. 🧵👇

White House stalls release of approved US science budgets

The US Congress rejected sweeping cuts to science agencies. But the NIH, the NSF and NASA have had their spending slowed.

nature.com

New leader of the National Academy of Sciences Neil Shubin warns: ‘a society that loses science loses the future’ go.nature.com/3SVNXI7

Incoming US science academy chief vows to ‘double down’ on research

Nature - New leader of the National Academy of Sciences Neil Shubin warns: ‘a society that loses science loses the future’.

go.nature.com

Breaking: Congress is pushing back on the Trump administration's termination of National Science Board members, with the House calling for their reinstatement and the Senate asking pointed questions about OMB's political interference. My reporting for @science.org:

Democratic lawmakers demand Trump explain—and reverse—termination of NSF’s governing board

Letters from Senate and House of Representatives question purge of the National Science Board

science.org

Career Advice | A Model for Keeping Students inSTEM Building an inclusive future STEM workforce requires innovative approaches to mentoring and supporting undergraduates. By Adriana Bankston and Mayowa Awe: https://bit.ly/49rxe4N #EDUSky #HigherEd #AcademicSky

Gil on the Hill is back (Gil is back on the Hill...?), this time with his take on even more deep cuts for science R&D, the firing of the entire National Science Board, and states picking up the S&T policy slack. 🔗 fas.org/publication/...

Gil on the Hill: More Budget, More Problems

No one will be surprised if we end up with a continuing resolution to push our shutdown deadline out past the midterms, so the real question is what else will they get done this summer?

fas.org

The move follows an administration push for cuts to the NSF and raises concerns in the scientific community that it could jeopardize a tradition of independent decisions about federal science grants. n.pr/4t2YxJI

Scientists see Trump's firing of the National Science Board as an attack on research

The move follows an administration push for cuts to the NSF and raises concerns in the scientific community that it could jeopardize a tradition of independent decisions about federal science grants.

n.pr

An unprecedented number of US scientists are trading in their lab coats to run for office in the US mid-term elections in November. go.nature.com/3QePHLk

‘Science needs defending’: record number of researchers run for office in US mid-terms

Many Democrats making the switch to politics are motivated by the Trump administration’s cuts to science — whereas energy and AI are a pull for some Republicans.

go.nature.com

The NSF GRFP is now out! There are 2,599 awardees, which is the most ever—and a big shift from last year which initially halved awardees (1,000 awardees + an additional 500). I've thrown together a plot to break down the changes by field. www.research.gov/grfp/Awardee...

China now tops the U.S. in R&D spending by one key measure | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti... 🧪

China now tops the U.S. in R&D spending by one key measure

China reached long expected milestone in 2024

science.org

For the second year in a row, US President Donald Trump has proposed significant cuts to the budgets of major US science agencies. go.nature.com/4sWP07S

Massive budget cuts for US science proposed again by Trump administration

Budget proposal would also curb federal payments for scientific publishing.

go.nature.com

Interviews with 30 researchers who responded to our @statnews.com survey on the impacts of federal science policy brought the human toll of changes at NIH into sharp focus. In addition to today's special report, @aniloza.bsky.social & I bring you 3 vignettes. 👇 www.statnews.com/2026/03/19/n...

Researchers surveyed by STAT detail the scientific and personal toll of grant cuts: ‘This can't be how it ends’

STAT interviews with 30 respondents brought the unmistakably human impacts of federal science policy into sharp focus. Here are three of those stories.

statnews.com

The impact is already hitting science agencies hard. The NIH—the world's largest public biomedical research funder—has had to rely on leftover stopgap funds. New grant awards have slowed to a trickle — exacerbating the effects of a record-long shutdown in October. (h/t @jeremymberg.bsky.social)

"We commend lawmakers for their bipartisan commitment to approving a budget that recognizes the indispensable role of science and education in improving the lives of all Americans."

AAU Thanks Congress for Rejecting Cuts to Scientific Research in FY26 Budget | Association of American Universities (AAU)

AAU thanks Congress for rejecting the massive, administration-proposed cuts to key scientific research agencies, as well as the remaining FY26 spending bills it is likely to consider later this week.

aau.edu

With FY26 federal appropriations bills now signed into law, the R&D funding outlook is brighter than initially feared. Compared to the drastic cuts that were proposed in the spring, the bills show some increases, flat funding, or relatively small reductions for R&D.

U.S. government has lost more than 10,000 STEM Ph.D.s since Trump took office | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...

In a new special issue, Science’s news reporters take stock of the impacts that Trump's year in office has had on research and the scientific workforce, forecast what lies ahead, and assess the scientific community’s efforts to mitigate or reverse the harms. https://scim.ag/4pPtks0

Trump has been in office for one year. We at @nature.com did a deep dive looking at the administration's disruption of science in numbers. Take a look—the numbers are staggering. By me, @dangaristo.bsky.social, Jeff Tollefson, @kimay.bsky.social, & help from @noamross.net @scott-delaney.bsky.social

US science after a year of Trump: what has been lost and what remains

A series of graphics reveals how the Trump administration has sought historic cuts to science and the research workforce.

nature.com

US researchers lay bare the human toll of lay-offs, funding cuts and attacks on science one year after the president’s return to the White House. go.nature.com/4sPKR61

‘Shattered’: US scientists speak out about how Trump policies disrupted their careers

Researchers lay bare the human toll of lay-offs, funding cuts and attacks on science one year after the president’s return to the White House.

go.nature.com

The U.S. Congress has delivered another rebuke of President Donald Trump’s plans to slash this year’s budgets of several science agencies. https://scim.ag/49G7Zwe

Congress set to reject Trump’s major budget cuts to NSF, NASA, and energy science

Appropriators agree instead to keep this year’s spending nearly level

science.org

Scientists belong in policy conversations. @abankston.bsky.social shares how she used her scientific training to shape decisions in Congress—and why federal research advocacy matters at every career stage. Read more: buff.ly/YkGH3Bd

Nine books to help shape your science career in 2026 www.nature.com/articles/d41... 🧪

Nine books to help shape your science career in 2026

If you’ve hatched a New Year plan to move abroad, improve your presentations or chase happiness as a 20-something researcher, you’ll find advice aplenty in these books.

nature.com

To mark the occasion, FAS CEO Daniel Correa spoke with @sgrodriques.bsky.social and @adammarblestone.bsky.social about how best to run a Tech Lab/FRO-style org, what they've learned, and the role federal funding can play: fas.org/publication/...

NSF Wants To Supercharge FROs. We Spoke With the Scientists Who Proposed Them.

We recently spoke with Adam Marblestone and Sam Rodriques, former FAS fellows who developed the idea for FROs and advocated for their use in a 2020 policy memo.

fas.org

At #IFORE25 we discussed the importance of international #PhDs in the #STEM #workforce, challenges and opportunities for #policy change, and how the #braindrain can impact retention of U.S. #scientific #talent. Missed the talk? Watch it here: bit.ly/4rLLCwj. @sonali-m-19.bsky.social

Sigma Xi@sigmaxi.bsky.social · 9mo ago

It's almost time! The all-virtual #IFoRE25 is just 2 days away. Registered? Log in to the IFoRE event page on Whova to start planning your session agenda: ow.ly/hotO50Xk0eT #SigmaXiConference #Innovation #STEMLeaders #ResearchMatters #GlobalScienceCommunity #NextGenScientists #Sustainability #AI

China is redrawing the global science map go.nature.com/4iLtoas

China’s scientific clout is growing as US influence wanes: the data show how

An analysis of international research collaborations reveals the growing dominance of Chinese science.

go.nature.com

Check out this piece from me, @abankston.bsky.social , @siararouzer.bsky.social, @kassstem.bsky.social , Crystal Hammond, & Amy Ralston! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Trump Administration Impacts on Early Career Scientists and How To Fight Back

Scientific research drives national progress and innovation, and must be protected at all costs. Actions from the Trump administration in early 2025 sent shockwaves across academic research. Federal s...

biorxiv.org

Trump has "shaken the hell" out of the 80-year research pact between the government and universities. What now? www.statnews.com/2025/12/04/a...

Trump has ‘shaken the hell’ out of the 80-year research pact between the government and universities. What now?

Trump has "shaken the hell" out of the 80-year research pact between the government and universities. What now?

statnews.com

Since Trump took office, the US Is funding fewer grants in every area of science and medicine or 41 % below average www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

The U.S. Is Funding Fewer Grants in Every Area of Science and Medicine

A quiet policy change means the government is making fewer bets on long-term science.

nytimes.com

Battles between the Trump administration and academic institutions are putting important biomedical advances in limbo. https://www.sciencenews.org/article/trump-harvard-funding-biomedical

Funding chaos may unravel decades of biomedical research

Battles between the Trump administration and academic institutions are putting important biomedical advances in limbo.

sciencenews.org