STAC’s Statement on the National Science Board Dismissal

A new analysis shows American science is shrinking and the data is stark. NIH competitive grants are down >50% year-over-year and NIH-funded projects saw a 15% drop in FY2025. Without sustained federal investment in our scientific enterprise, the U.S. risks losing its competitive edge.

The Washington Post@washingtonpost.com · 4mo ago

American science is shrinking. 
A Post analysis found that, halfway through this fiscal year, the number of competitive grants awarded by the National Institutes of Health is down by more than half compared with the same period last year. https://wapo.st/3OgoHKV

As NASA puts it, Artemis II is just the “opening act” for sustained exploration of the Moon and beyond. That future depends on decades of research and continued investment in S&T today. Read about the historical mission and the future of U.S. in space from @space.com 🌕 tinyurl.com/ms9n3bfh

NASA's Artemis 2 moonshot was just the 'opening act' for America's return to the moon, space agency chief says

Artemis 2 kicks off a lunar "relay race" that will lead the NASA and its international partners to a moon base and, eventually, Mars, NASA chief Jared Isaacman says.

space.com

China has surpassed the U.S. in total R&D investment ($1.03T in 2024), per @oecdgovernance.bsky.social. The implications for U.S. policy are immediate. Public R&D is one of the highest-returning investments, yet proposed cuts move in the opposite direction.@aau.edu⬇️ www.aau.edu/newsroom/lea...

It’s Official: China Tops U.S. in R&D Spending | Association of American Universities (AAU)

A new assessment shows China has officially crept past the United States in total research and development (R&D) investment.

aau.edu

A new op-ed from @researchamerica.bsky.social grant recipient JP Flores explores why scientists must engage directly with communities, especially in an era where misinformation spreads fast.. Read more in Sci Politic sciencepolitics.org/2026/03/18/w...

We’re Training Scientists for a World That No Longer Exists - Science Politics

Science can help address pressing challenges, but only if we train scientists to communicate in the places people actually form beliefs.

sciencepolitics.org

STAC Statement on the President’s FY2027 Budget Request

New piece from STAC member Harvey Fineberg in @pnas.org offers a sharp look at what it will take to revive U.S. science leadership. Key point: flat funding isn’t enough. The U.S. needs to invest in talent, prioritize key technologies, and rebuild public trust. More ⬇️ www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

@theatlantic.com examines the growing risk that China could surpass the U.S. as the world’s leading scientific power. For a deeper dive on the data behind this shift, check out STAC’s one-pager on China’s strategy to win the global technology race 👉 sciencetechaction.org/wp-content/u...

The Atlantic@theatlantic.com · 4mo ago

While U.S. research struggles, a different pattern is emerging overseas, Ross Andersen writes. Is China on the verge of becoming the next scientific superpower?

A new survey highlighted by @statnews.com shows many NIH-funded labs scaling back research, delaying projects, and struggling to retain talent. Sustained, predictable funding is critical to protecting the next generation of scientific discovery. www.statnews.com/2026/03/19/n...

National survey of NIH-funded researchers shows precarious state of U.S. science — ‘This is like the Titanic’

A nationwide STAT survey of NIH-funded researchers reveals that, a year after Donald Trump's return to the White House, many scientists are reeling

statnews.com

An analysis by STAC members highlights a turning point in global science leadership. China may soon lead in public R&D funding and could surpass the U.S. in basic science within a decade. The moment calls for renewed U.S. investment and leadership. From @nature.com⬇️ www.nature.com/articles/d41...

China could be the world’s biggest public funder of science within two years

Forecast by science-policy researchers raises questions about where the epicentre of global research will shift to in the coming decade.

nature.com

NIH research funding generated $94B in economic activity in 2025, a $2.57 return for every $1 invested, supporting nearly 391,000 jobs nationwide. Biomedical research fuels innovation and local economies. Read more from @forbes.com ⬇️ www.forbes.com/sites/michae...

NIH Research Grants Drove A $94 Billion National Economic Impact In 2025

NIH research funding generated $94.15 billion in new economic activity across the nation in FY 2025, with a return on investment of $2.57 for every $1 invested.

forbes.com

The next leap in scientific discovery won’t just come from AI, it'll come from people. DOE says the goal is to double the productivity of science R&D spending, alongside new university partnerships focused on training for the future workforce. More from @axios.com🧑‍🔬 www.axios.com/2026/03/13/d...

What's next for the Genesis Mission

Government agencies and companies are mobilizing to use AI for energy, drug discovery and national security, all while promising new jobs.

axios.com

NASA is strengthening the Artemis program as America prepares to return astronauts to the Moon. This initiative underscores how sustained investment in S&T supports innovation, strengthens the research ecosystem, and helps maintain U.S. leadership. 🚀 www.nasa.gov/directorates...

NASA Strengthens Artemis: Adds Mission, Refines Overall Architecture  - NASA

To achieve the national goal of landing American astronauts on the surface of the Moon and maintaining U.S. superiority in exploration and discovery, NASA

nasa.gov

The BIOTech Caucus announced its first ever legislative endorsements, backing the National Biotechnology Initiative Act and the Biomanufacturing Excellence Act. Momentum is building to strengthen U.S. biotech leadership. More from @houlahan.house.gov & Rep. Bice🔗 houlahan.house.gov/news/documen...

Co-Chairs Houlahan, Bice Announce First BIOTech Caucus Legislative Endorsements

houlahan.house.gov

America’s competitiveness in the global technology race is back on the congressional agenda. Last week, a bipartisan group of Senators reintroduced the Future of AI Innovation Act, which would expand NIST’s AI standards work and strengthen R&D coordination. @axios.com⬇️ www.axios.com/2026/02/26/s...

Exclusive: Senators revive bipartisan AI innovation bill

With foreign rivals investing aggressively in AI and emerging tech, lawmakers are searching for ways to reinforce the U.S. edge.

axios.com

STEM jobs are growing faster than non-STEM jobs in the U.S. Today, 36 million Americans—1 in 4 workers—are in STEM roles. Sustaining this momentum requires stronger education pathways and retention across the talent pipeline. New analysis from the NSF NSB ⬇️ ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsb2026...

China’s 1999 higher ed expansion boosted U.S. STEM growth. International student flows are tightly tied to American innovation and economic competitiveness. In order to maintain its innovation edge, the U.S. needs a plan. More from Stanford SCCEI 👇 sccei.fsi.stanford.edu/china-briefs...

How China’s College Boom Expanded Graduate Programs, Enrollment, and

sccei.fsi.stanford.edu

Europe, the UK, and China are actively recruiting U.S.-based scientists amid research funding cuts. For America, this is a competitiveness warning: sustained funding uncertainty risks driving top talent and future innovation abroad. Learn more in @Semafor.com ➡️ www.semafor.com/article/02/1...

EU looks to poach US scientists amid research funding cuts

Paris announced grant awards to 46 academics, with 41 relocating from the US.

semafor.com

Federal investment in science drives economic growth. A new @aau.edu report finds every $1 invested in R&D returns $5 in long-term economic growth. Learn more 💡 www.aau.edu/sites/defaul...

Thank you to Sen. Jerry Moran, @vanhollen.senate.gov Rep. Hal Rogers, and @meng.house.gov for laying the groundwork for final passage of the FY26 CJS bill. Cuts to NASA and NSF were limited, and we look forward to working with you on more robust research investments that safeguard U.S. leadership.

The federal government lost 10K+ STEM Ph.D.s in one year – a blow to innovation, public health, national security, and economic growth. Strong federal funding keeps this expertise in public service. More in @science.org ⤵️ www.science.org/content/arti...

Thank you to Sen. Susan Collins, @murray.senate.gov, Rep. Tom Cole, and @delauro.house.gov negotiating a bipartisan FY26 agreement that protects core science funding and delivers full-year certainty for agencies that underpin America’s economy. @democrats-appropriations.house.gov

STAC Statement Thanking President Donald Trump for Signing the Senate Amendment to H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act

AI competition isn’t just about who has the best models—it’s about foundations: compute, energy, talent, and sustained investment in research and innovation capacity. The U.S. leads on many measures, but the picture is mixed. More from @time.com ➡️ time.com/7358519/ai-c...

6 Graphs That Show Who’s Really Winning the US–China AI Race

From compute and talent to energy and revenue, six charts show where the U.S. leads China in AI—and why that lead could prove fragile.

time.com

NASA selected 3 new Moon science investigations under its CLPS initiative, leveraging U.S. industry innovation to advance Artemis. From 3D terrain mapping to subsurface drilling, this is what progress looks like when government and industry move forward together🌕 www.nasa.gov/news-release...

New NASA Artemis Payloads To Study Moon’s Terrain, Radiation, History - NASA

NASA announced Tuesday the selection of three new science investigations that will strengthen humanity’s understanding and exploration of the Moon. As part of

nasa.gov

Yesterday's House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology hearing sent a clear message: maintaining U.S. leadership in quantum will take sustained federal commitment and a strong bridge from research to real-world impact. More here 🔗 science.house.gov/2026/1/full-...

Full Committee Hearing - Assessing U.S. Leadership in Quantum Science and Technology

science.house.gov

STAC's Statement on FY26 Labor–Health and Human Services–Education Appropriations Package

Sudip Parikh, CEO of @aaas.org and VAST Task Force member, shares how sustained advocacy is essential to maintaining and strengthening America’s science and technology leadership 🧪 bsky.app/profile/scif...

Science Friday@scifri.bsky.social · 7mo ago

⚛️ The U.S. “has been investing in science for 80 years, and could tear a lot of that down with the stroke of one signature,” the CEO of @aaas.org told SciFri a year ago. Here’s what's happening with federal funding for science now.

New reporting from @economist.com highlights how lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are stepping up in Washington, but protecting today’s funding is only the starting point if we want to maintain America’s competitive edge. www.economist.com/united-state...

Pro-science Republicans are fending-off cuts to funding

This year’s budget will probably restore much of what the White House sought to eliminate

economist.com

Micron’s $100B investment reflects the impact of the CHIPS & Science Act in action. Strategic public investment in semiconductor R&D and manufacturing is strengthening U.S. supply chains, and marking a turning point for American industrial leadership. www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/belt...