Technological innovation has hinged on science and research funded by the U.S. government. That’s all at risk right now
From NASA to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Trump's reform agenda threw many federal agencies under the microscope and carried the threat of steep budget cuts or, in the worst cases, attempted to break up. But within the start -up and venture capital sector, the fate of an agency in particular – the National Science Foundation – is alarming after DOGE notices its attention a few weeks ago.
On Friday, the Office of Management and Budget suggested that approximately 57% of the NSF's budget, cut it from nearly $ 9 billion to $ 3.9 billion. Shortly before that, on April 24, the NSF director – a choice of Trump in his first term – was organized, and the NSF staff received memos that encourage them to consider the deferred and early retirement programs, and they know that the NSF will no longer process the supplements of any existing honors of fiscal.
“We take this step to ensure alignment with NSF priorities … and to prepare for an uncertain NSF budget,” read one of the memos seen by FateWhile another memo warned “significant cuts to workers,” and encouraged staff to consider early retirement or deferred resignation.
The NSF is considered a foundation of US research and tech leadership. The billions of dollars it funds each year for research in areas such as AI, Quantum, and Mathematics have led to breakthrough all from semiconductors to digital assistants to magnetic resonance imaging. And it is an integral part of the public-private partnership that has been buoying the American Tech sector in recent years. NSF machines, one of NSF's latest programs dedicated to semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, and research on biotechnology, has invested $ 150 million in funding throughout 10 different regions and provoked more than $ 1 billion In subsequent investment from venture capitalists, nonprofits, and state and local governments, the agency said.
Adam Hammer, CEO of Roadrunner Venture Studios, a startup studio that helps scientists and researchers rotate their work out of the national or university and the companies, describes these NSF programs as playing a “indispensable role” in filling private investment and a “basic mechanism that helps de-risk early stages of technology for private prints.
“Maintaining them is important if we want the US change to keep up with the national competitors who have continued to invested too much in both basic research and commercialization,” he said Fate In an email, it was noted that there was a “wider, combined -with -thee underinvestment in the translation of research into companies.”
The administration's efforts to overthrow the NSF are especially surprising to some within the tech industry, given that President Trump has emphasized Modern technology – especially AI, Quantum, and Space Exploration – as a priority. A few weeks ago, Michael Kratosios, a Peter Thiel Protege and director appointed by Trump of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, emphasized the importance of public-private-private fit-American change partnerships.
The stakes feel high for anyone sitting near the NSF, including the recent ones left behind. In his resignation record of the staff, former NSF director Sethuraman Panchanathan wrote the agency's significant role in recent years and its stature as “envy of the world.” This is an “important moment for our country in terms of global competition,” he warned.
The morale is in “bad shape. Its very low – lowly careful. People are afraid,” said an NSF employee, who spoke in the condition of anonymously because they were not allowed to speak on behalf of the agency. Staff wonder if they will have a job and if the career of students and researchers they are trying to support can end, the person said.
Since an internal evaluation process began around February-the explosion for grants dedicated to trump subjects trump such as diversity, equity, and integration-the funding was cut off to more than 1,300 NSF grants, according to a tally maintained by Grant Watch, A project Monitoring of cuts from providing from the scientific agencies that occurred under the Trump administration.
Congress still needs to approve any budget cuts to the agency, currently administered by its Chief of Staff until President Trump appointed a new director. NSF and Doge will not be reached immediately for comment.
Despite all the uncertainty and excitement in the NSF, there is still an underlying thread of commitment to the stated mission: to promote the development of science, advance national health, prosperity and well -being, and secure national defense.
“As long as I get here, and the NSF keeps me – as long as I don't feel like pulling in another direction – I'm not going to walk away,” the employee said.
See you tomorrow,
Jessica Mathews
Twitter: @jessicakmathews
Email: jessica.mathews@fortune.com
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This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
