U.S. government agencies have been ordered to initiate another round of layoffs at the same time Congress is moving forward with a plan to slash their budgets — a potential blow to science. With the National Science Foundation (NSF) facing a budget reduction of more than 50%, Evans, a science and technology scholar at Rice, noted that such a drastic cut may result in the end of the NSF as we know it.
The National Science Foundation fired 168 employees on Tuesday, a move meant to ensure compliance with President Trump's executive order aimed at reducing the federal workforce in the name of efficiency. Neal Lane, who served as director of the NSF from 1993 to 1998, described the firings as a waste of resources that may cause scientists to leave the field altogether.
Scientists across the US have been left reeling after a spate of executive orders from US President Donald Trump has led to staff layoffs, slashed research budgets and axed diversity programs. Lane, a former science adviser to President Clinton, told Physics World that “dismantling all federal DEI programs and related activities will damage lives and careers of millions of American women and men, including scientists, engineers, technical workers – essentially everyone who contributes to advancing America’s global leadership in science and technology.”
Recent actions by the White House that have raised concerns among researchers regarding the control and funding of scientific research. Lane, who served as director of the National Science Foundation from 1993 - 1998, notes that if these actions continue, it would be an "unprecedented" departure from how science has been funded for decades.
The White House's upcoming budget proposal is expected to implement widespread cuts for much of the government's discretionary spending, and the National Science Foundation stands to be severely affected. Lane, a former director of the NSF, said the projected cut would kill American science.