If they’re saying this out loud about NIH, you can bet it’s the same intent for the National Science Foundation.

Prof Gavin Yamey MD MPH@gavinyamey.bsky.social · 2mo ago

They’re not even trying to pretend any more This is what MAHA/MAGA wants The piece was written by Scott Atlas, Trump’s Covid czar—the dude who persuaded Trump to adopt the Great Barrington Declaration’s recommendation to end federal testing for COVID (if you don’t test, it just goes away 😳)

"Getting the budget deal done was crucial. But that was then. The red light is now flashing. All hands, report to stations." www.science.org/doi/10.1126/... Welcome to the resistance, Dr. Thorp.

Another red alert for American science

Although research has bipartisan support in the US Congress, and trust in science is above 75% across the country, the Trump administration seems as determined as ever to mortally wound the nation’s s...

science.org

Scoop: NSF has been quietly blocking new funds and grants to four top universities: Duke, Harvard, Princeton, and Yale. Dozens of proposals from PIs at these universities—and their collaborators—have been stuck at the Office of Award Management awaiting finalization for months.

Exclusive: NSF puts new research grants to top universities on hold

US science funder once again restricts awards to Harvard University and other research institutions.

nature.com

www.simonsfoundation.org/grant/simons...

Simons Graduate Fellowships in Ecology and Evolution

The purpose of these awards is to provide support for students entering U.S.-based Ph.D. programs with a plan to perform research in ecology and evolution. While we will consider all projects in ecolo...

simonsfoundation.org

“Between January 2025 and February 2026, STEM and health employees at science-focused agencies saw nearly 15,000 jobs cut. The rate outpaced cuts among other federal workers.” OPM data - Figure from Wash Post article 19 April. (Where US science has been hit hardest.) NSF at -42%!

I am shocked to see this language from the NSF. “The U.S. National Science Foundation's Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request reflects a strategic alignment of resources in a constrained fiscal environment while eliminating woke and weaponized grant programs that previously funded radical DEI projects.”

Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request to Congress

nsf.gov

Excited to share a new paper written by a AAAS Policy Fellow I mentor, Dr. Lisa Walsh. “This review synthesizes literature on fieldwork safety across scientific disciplines, highlighting four facets of safety for leaders and researchers to address: physical, social, financial, and psychological.”

Enabling Fieldwork for All (EFFA) Framework: Supporting physical, social, financial, and psychological safety in the field

Comprehensive review of fieldwork safety literature across disciplines yields synthesized recommendations.

science.org

“At NSF, the net reduction of 205 STEM Ph.D.s between 1 January and 30 November constituted 40% of its total pre-Trump Ph.D. workforce of 517, by far the largest percentage at any agency. STEM Ph.D.s also make up a larger percentage of the total workforce at NSF than at any other agency…”.

Jeffrey Mervis@policyhound.bsky.social · 8mo ago

The US government lost more than 10,000 STEM PhDs last year, according to an analysis by Science of newly released OPM data, with 11 departures for every hire. And many OPM calls "voluntary" separations were probably pushed. www.science.org/content/arti...

The National Science Foundation sign on our Eisenhower Av building is now gone. The NSF mural in the foyer is removed and torn off in sheets. We were supposed to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the agency in May 2025. That never happened.

News to me: “The National Science Foundation will be breaking up the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado," Russ Vought, … said in a statement to USA TODAY. "This facility is one of the largest sources of climate alarmism in the country.”

NSF - Forced reorg - POs down ~ 40% (DRP, most rotators not renewed, retirements) - Forced move (and we have to pack and clean) to a building with no furniture, little to no conference space for panels, inadequate 🛜, …) I personally love the boxes they gave us for packing. “Details matter” 🙃

One bright light of 2025 - Cyrus, our new addition. He joins Asa, my beloved golden who was diagnosed with cancer in June. Isn’t he a cutie?

All federal employees took an oath to the constitution. I’ve worked with many leaders across multiple agencies, including the military. It’s our duty and an honor to defend the constitution. We believe in America and the principles that made this country special. The oath demands we protect it.

Senator Elissa Slotkin@slotkin.senate.gov · 10mo ago

We want to speak directly to members of the Military and the Intelligence Community. The American people need you to stand up for our laws and our Constitution. Don’t give up the ship.

NSF is open again! A few comments: *Please be patient. During a shutdown NSF employees cannot open computers or respond to emails. *Merit review will continue. However panels won’t resume until after Dec 8th. *POs remain excited and committed to advancing science and the scientific workforce.

As one of those federal employees, I couldn’t agree more. “Preventing authoritarian consolidation is the most harm-reducing move.”

Nicholas Grossman@nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · 10mo ago

Harm to SNAP recipients, federal workers, and others is real. In a normal democracy it’d make sense to prioritize reducing that harm in the short term. In a rapidly backsliding democracy, harm is happening no matter what. Preventing authoritarian consolidation is the most harm-reducing move.

Way to go, Virginia! Spanberger wins!

“So basically, we swear we’re going to follow Trump’s policies, which is ridiculous,” the HHS employee, who was granted anonymity, told the outlet.

Federal workers must now 'clearly' show support for Trump on year-end reviews: report

The Trump administration has added a new requirement to its performance reviews this year that requires workers in the Department of Health and Human Services to produce evidence that they “clearly an...

rawstory.com

Old Town Alexandria

NSF’s doors will be closed at 1:30 pm today. While you may be able to submit things, there will be no staff to process anything. In fact it is illegal for us to even open our work computers or email during a shutdown. A very few rotators may be able to communicate, so check out of office responses.

New from #SCIMaP - analysis of the White House’s Proposed FY 2026 National Science Foundation Budget. Take-home: Slashing NSF by >50% will lead to ~$11 billion in economic loss and extensive job loss and reduced training opportunities in communities nationwide. Report: osf.io/e8rnc a 🧵

My quote of the day

If there’s one thing that I have learned from engaging with primary sources, it is that people in the past weren’t smarter or more principled than we are today they just weren’t drowned in omnipresent propaganda and/or prosperous enough to be detached from material conditions

“This Executive Order is nothing short of obscene," said Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA). "In what world does Donald Trump think that Americans want political appointees – who, need I remind the President, are unelected bureaucrats – making decisions on what science gets funded?”

Ranking Member Lofgren Calls Trump Out for Corrupt Executive Order Requiring Political Appointees to Approve Federal Grants | House Committee on Science, Space and Technology

The House Committee on Science, Space and Technology

democrats-science.house.gov

“Federal workers can hold prayer circles with members of the public and tell colleagues to rethink their religious beliefs, according to new guidance the Trump administration released...” 🤯 Well as long as I can tell people to rethink their religious beliefs, I’m good. Thanks for the reminder.

Trump administration reminds federal employees they can proselytize in the office

Supervisors can solicit employees to attend their church, OPM says in new guidance.

govexec.com

NSF’s Union President epitomizes moral leadership. I’m proud to have him as a colleague and friend.

Jesús Soriano, union leader in the scientific rebellion against Trump: ‘You’ll go to a restaurant and won’t know if the meat is contaminated or not’

The Spanish doctor, of the US National Science Foundation, is the only employee to put his full name to a letter against the dismantling of the government agency

english.elpais.com

The best week of my summers is spent doing this grant workshop, sometimes in VA and sometimes in CO. It’s always filled with amazing people, and I am inspired by you!

Geoff Zahn@geoffzahn.bsky.social · last yr.

Y'all, I just did this and it was total bliss, a terrifyingly immersive write-a-thon, full of excellent people, massively educational... And I wrote a whole-ass draft from scratch! 5 stars.

Letter to Representative Lofgren - Appeal to Defend Civil Service Protections and the Mission of the NSF

“More than 140 employees of the National Science Foundation have signed a letter denouncing what they described as efforts to undermine one of the country’s main science funding agencies. … Out of fear of retaliation, all but one of the employees’ signatures are redacted.”

Amid Fear of Retaliation, N.S.F. Workers Sign Letter of Dissent

nytimes.com

Today!

Joshua Weitz@joshuasweitz.bsky.social · last yr.

A focus on the futures we will lose if the WH continues to dismantle research across agencies spanning the EPA, DHS, NIH, NSF, USAID, and DoD (via NASA Watch). When: Tuesday, July 8, 2025, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET Where: Rayburn Foyer, Rayburn House Office Building nasawatch.com/congress/con...

Started the day by reading the Declaration of Independence. Happy 4th - the original No Kings Day 🇺🇸

Nicholas Grossman@nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · last yr.

He has refused his Assent to Laws… For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world… For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury… For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences… A Tyrant is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.