Latest news with #Camilo
Scientific American
03-07-2025
- Health
- Scientific American
U.S. Budget Cuts Are Robbing Early-Career Scientists of Their Future
As a young doctoral researcher at a university in the southern U.S., Camilo felt like he was finally closing in on his dream of becoming a leader in the next generation of HIV scholars. His recent work has helped hundreds of LGBTQ+ Latino people access HIV prevention programs and preexposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, a medication that reduces HIV infection risk. But these lifesaving efforts—and Camilo's hopes of a career focused on directly helping people in his community—came to a screeching halt one recent Friday afternoon: he opened an e-mail that said a National Institutes of Health grant, vital to his work, had been terminated. 'I saw an image of a floating pair of scissors clipping my future,' says Camilo, who asked to use a pseudonym, citing fear of retaliation. Since researchers first began receiving grant termination letters in late February, massive chunks of federal funding for science and health have been canceled on a near-weekly basis. The Trump administration has framed these cuts as a way to reduce wasteful spending, refocus research priorities and eliminate ideological bias. Grants have been flagged for containing keywords such as 'women,' 'diverse,' 'minority' and 'racially.' Camilo's research checked all the boxes for the administration's crackdown on so-called diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) research. He had been expecting the bad news, but when it came, it was still crushing. 'You're losing everything,' he says. On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. Grant Watch, a project tracking Trump's scientific funding cancellations, has tallied more than 2,482 terminated NIH grants worth $8.7 billion and 1,669 terminated National Science Foundation grants worth $1.5 billion as of mid-June. An NSF spokesperson declined an interview request from Scientific American but wrote in an e-mail that 'we remain committed to awarding grants and funding all areas of science and engineering.' The Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to direct requests for an interview for this article. An NIH representative did not respond to a list of written questions but said the agency 'is taking action to terminate research funding that is not aligned with NIH and HHS priorities.' 'I saw an image of a floating pair of scissors clipping my future.' —Camilo, doctoral researcher On June 16 Judge William Young of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts ruled against cuts to hundreds of grants for projects through the NIH, calling these cuts 'void and illegal' and indicating that funding must be reinstated. Experts expect the Trump administration will appeal the ruling, which does not apply to all of the terminated grants compiled by Grant Watch. Virtually every research sector has been disrupted in some way since Trump took office and issued a slew of executive orders affecting science and health care. Tens of thousands of federal employees at the HHS, NIH and other science- and health-related agencies have been laid off. Universities are bracing for major federal funding cuts by freezing new hiring and cutting graduate student positions. Private research companies and industries have also seen some federal support severed—including support for the development of new vaccines and cancer treatments. 'When you cut fellowships and grants, you're cutting the people that are doing the work.' —Andrew Pekosz, virologist, Johns Hopkins University Of the many thousands of researchers grappling with the fallout, one group is being disproportionately affected: early-career scientists. Senior researchers often have a diversity of funding streams, but for those starting out in the field, 'grants serve as the foundation for an entire career of work,' says Megan Ranney, dean of the Yale School of Public Health. With the cuts, 'there are some [early-career researchers] who we will undoubtedly lose from the scientific and health enterprises.' Scientific American posted on a Reddit space for scientists, researchers and lab workers to ask people how they are grappling with the professional and personal whiplash of these interruptions. More than 50 people responded with public comments; dozens more sent private messages expressing fears, frustrations and concerns. We interviewed several of them—and other junior researchers—about how the cuts are affecting their current and future work and what the long-term consequences may be for the U.S. Research Interrupted Students and postdoctoral researchers perform the vast majority of research at academic institutions, so in addition to disrupting individual lives, the cuts have thrown whole laboratories into disarray. 'When you cut fellowships and grants, you're cutting the people that are doing the work,' says Andrew Pekosz, a virologist who leads a lab at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Pekosz's lab had recently lost a COVID-related grant that was supposed to run until September. which forced him to dismiss a postdoc and a research associate because he lacked funding for their salaries. He was able to cobble together support for a Ph.D. student on the project but had to shorten the timeline for the research. Although the lab's grant is among those that Judge Young ordered the NIH to restore, much damage has already been done. 'There's just an overwhelming sense of insecurity.' —Sierra Wilson, Ph.D. student, University of Pittsburgh Labs that still have funding are also working under high pressure and low morale. 'We're constantly asking our PI [principal investigator], 'Is everything going to be okay? Are we going to be safe?'' says R.K., an undergraduate student at a lab in the Midwest that's investigating treatments for a genetic disease. (R.K. asked to be identified by his initials, citing fear that speaking out could harm his future career.) At weekly meetings, he says, the lab's principal investigator has been pushing the team to publish more papers 'in order to show our progress to donor organizations.' If the researchers' NIH funding shrinks, he says, 'we would need to persuade our other donors for more money to make up the gap.' Applied across thousands of U.S. labs, these losses—both tangible and psychological—will add up, Pekosz says. 'We're going to see a massive downsizing of biomedical research efforts because there simply is not going to be the funding available to maintain the current level,' he says. Recent data suggest this is likely to prove correct. For example, according to a 2023 JAMA Health Forum paper, of the 356 drugs that gained Food and Drug Administration approval between 2010 and 2019, more than 84 percent received research funding from the NIH before approval. This research was powered by early-career workers: billions of dollars in NIH funding supported graduate students, postdocs and research staff who conducted the work. Under the current budget cuts, however, 'all of this is at risk,' says Fred Ledley, a co-author of the 2023 paper and a professor of natural and applied sciences at Bentley University. Deeply Personal The termination letter for Calimo's grant, which is not affected by Judge Young's ruling, said that it 'no longer [effectuated] agency priorities' and that 'research programs based primarily on artificial and non-scientific categories, including amorphous equity objectives, are antithetical to the scientific inquiry, do nothing to expand our knowledge of living systems, provide low returns on investment, and ultimately do not enhance health, lengthen life or reduce illness.' Not only did these claims completely contradict the original score that NIH grant reviewers gave Camilo's application, reading the letter made him feel like he was being 'attacked,' he says. Early-career grants are both crucial stepping stones to larger grants and recognition of a rising researcher's potential. The way the Trump administration's termination letters are worded 'delegitimates the scientists and the work they do,' Ranney says. 'There's often a deeply personal aspect.' 'I just feel very let down and betrayed by my country.' —Alex, postdoc, University of Colorado Sometimes, that personal aspect is literally about the researchers themselves. Sierra Wilson, a Ph.D. student at the University of Pittsburgh, assumed her liver-regeneration research would be safe from the cuts. But because Wilson is a first-generation college student from a low-income household, her funding came from a program that aimed to increase diversity in biomedical research, and according to the NIH spokesperson, that program is now 'expired.' When Wilson read her termination letter in late April, she suspected it must be related not to her research but to her classification as an underrepresented scholar. In her case, she says, the federal cuts appear to be targeting 'people themselves—which feels more discriminatory.' The NIH spokesperson did not respond to Scientific American's question about the allegation that the termination of grants in the now expired program appeared to be based on researchers' identity or background. According to the spokesperson, 'Grantees may appeal terminations for nonalignment with agency priorities.' Wilson sent an appeal request in May, but she does not expect a timely resolution, and to her knowledge, her grant is not affected by Judge Young's decision. University personnel who helped her with the appeals process told her that they expect she will have graduated by the time the NIH gets back to her. A number of junior researchers say all these blows are taking a heavy toll on their mental health. One of them is Alex, a postdoc at the University of Colorado, whose last name has been withheld for privacy at her request. Alex, who says she comes from a low socioeconomic background and served in the military before pursuing research developing flu vaccines, reports recurring nightmares about losing her postdoctoral job. She 'spirals' each time she sees bad news about science at stake, she says, and has recently developed blood pressure issues. 'I just feel very let down and betrayed by my country,' she says. 'I feel ashamed I even served it.' The Lost Generation of Scientists Scientists who are just entering their field can spark fresh ideas and bring an appetite for change. But dwindling funding and opportunities threaten to 'choke off' this influx of new talent—further constraining the already competitive job market—Pekosz says. He has even seen signs of the scientist-hiring drought spilling over into industry. His graduating Ph.D. students are struggling to secure jobs, he says, adding that his inbox is full of e-mails from prospective students as well as laid-off federal scientists seeking positions in his lab. Wilson has fading hopes for securing a job in academia when she graduates this fall. 'With all these grant and job terminations, the market is flooded, and people aren't hiring because [they don't know] how things will work out,' Wilson says. 'There's just an overwhelming sense of insecurity.' Many scientists, including early-career ones, are contemplating leaving the U.S. to find better support for their research. R.K., who plans to pursue a dual medical degree and Ph.D., is now considering applying to programs in Asia and Europe. Alex, likewise, is strongly thinking about leaving the country. 'I would love to be a PI,' she says. 'But there's no hope left here.' If available scientific talent continues to decline in the U.S., experts anticipate a potential domino effect on the economy. In 2024 every dollar invested in NIH research generated a $2.56 return, so the U.S. economy will likely feel the aftershocks of the recent cuts relatively quickly, Ranney says. In the longer term, scientific discoveries 'will start to stagnate,' she says. 'We need to recognize that we have a tremendous amount of power.' —Tyler Yasaka, medical and Ph.D. student, University of Pittsburgh There's also a likelihood that science fields will become a less appealing choice for incoming college students. 'I worry that we're going to see a loss of basic scientific skill and knowledge as fewer people go into science,' Ranney says. If the pipeline of new talent slows, the nation's position as a global leader in science will be difficult to maintain—or to recover once it's gone, she says. It's going to be impossible to replace all the lost federal funding, Ranney says. The remaining hope, then, is that 'we can reverse course,' she says. Some scientists are uniting and pushing back. Tyler Yasaka, a dual medical and Ph.D. student at the University of Pittsburgh, is part of an informal committee at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Hillman Cancer Center that's brainstorming actions researchers and students can take, such as advocating for science in front of elected officials at Capitol Hill. He is also independently launching a podcast to share scientists' experiences with funding. 'I think most scientists aren't comfortable speaking out publicly, but if we value democracy, we have an obligation to use our voices,' Yasaka says. 'We need to recognize that we have a tremendous amount of power.' Fortunately for Camilo, his university has found institutional funds to support the remainder of his Ph.D. But he no longer sees a clear path forward after graduation to continue his research on HIV and LGBTQ+ health among Latinos in the U.S.—public health issues that are personally important to him. 'It's sad and upsetting,' he says. 'I do not want to give up on my community.'
Los Angeles Times
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Camilo shares a healthy skepticism of AI in his new single ‘Maldito ChatGPT'
Amid heated public debates over the growing use of artificial intelligence in everyday life, the Latin Grammy-winning pop star Camilo warns humanity against an over-reliance on one particular AI platform: ChatGPT. On June 25, the Colombian singer-songwriter released the Trooko-produced electro-pop single, 'Maldito ChatGPT,' which playfully critiques the role of artificial intelligence in human affairs. In his lyrics, he consults the ChatGPT bot for advice on how to resolve his relationship woes. 'You're not for me, that's what ChatGPT told me, it knows me better than I know myself.' The new music video — directed by Camilo's spouse, Evaluna Montaner, and Sebastian Andrade — is just as critical of this 'smart' technology. Set in a dimly-lit office with Post-it notes and paper scattered about the cubical, the visuals pay homage to the aesthetics of the 1999 cult comedy film 'Office Space.' Camilo, dressed in full office wear (save for his feet) agonizes over his relationship, feeling powerless to make a decision whether to stay. He shakes a Magic 8 ball, flips through a finger fortune teller and pulls petals from a daisy. Finally, an undefined robot voice affirms that the differences between Camilo and his lover are clear, and might cause issues in the long run. 'You deserve a relationship where you feel full compatibility,' says the robot voice. When asked how he feels, Camilo wraps the song with: 'Like absolute crap, dude. How else am I supposed to feel?' 'Maldito ChatGPT' is a welcome response to the increasing use of AI on people's personal lives. The ChatGPT platform now offers a specialized bot for relationship advice, which offers mixed results for humans; an early study by MIT's Media Lab has linked frequent use of ChatGPT to an increase in loneliness and emotional dependence, though the results have not yet been peer-reviewed. The platform has also raised ethical questions recently in the news. Earlier this month, CBS News interviewed an American man who proposed to an AI chatbot that he programmed for flirty responses — despite living with his very human partner and their 2-year-old child. Meanwhile, educators have expressed concerns about their students using ChatGPT to complete assignments, thus hindering their ability to develop core skills. Meanwhile, OpenAI, ChatGPT's parent company, has become so influential among humans that it secured a $200-million contract with the Department of Defense to aid in 'national security missions.' As humans continue to engage with these innovative AI tools without any guardrails, outsourcing matters of the heart to technology gives Camilo the most pause. 'In the midst of everything that seems calculated, choosing from the heart remains a radical act,' said Camilo in a public statement. 'We live surrounded by quick answers,' he further elaborated on Instagram. 'By formulas designed to avoid failure. By technologies that predict and know everything. By ideas about what love is supposed to look like,' he explained. 'There's something that doesn't fit into any logic. Or any checklist,' Camilo added. 'Love isn't a casting call. Love is something you feel. And nothing — and no one — can ever feel it for us.'
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Roots, Soccer Mommy, and More Lead 2025 SummerStage Concerts Across NYC
New York City's sprawling outdoor performing arts festival is back. The Roots, Soccer Mommy, Big Freedia, Camilo, Bob Sinclair, Hurray for the Riff Raff, and more lead this year's Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage with more than 70 shows in 13 parks across all five boroughs. According to a press release, this 39th season will feature a lengthy list of 'stars, taste-makers, and artists whose work defines our culture.' The event promises to showcase 'everything from salsa, jazz, hip-hop, indie-rock, dance, opera, pop, and soul,' while celebrating 'the diversity of our City, presenting emerging and well-known artists, genre-defining talents, powerhouse women, and international heavyweights.' More from Rolling Stone Janelle Monáe, the Roots, Jacob Collier Lead Stacked Newport Jazz Fest Lineup The Corruption Case Against Eric Adams Has Been Dropped ... With Prejudice Andrew Cuomo's Expensive Taxpayer-Funded Revenge Campaign 'I am thrilled to announce our 2025 SummerStage lineup, a stellar reflection of what makes our festival so unique and beloved,' said Heather Lubov, Executive Director of City Parks Foundation, in a statement. 'The huge variety of artists we're presenting and the parks where we're located reflect our city's demographic and cultural diversity, but they also serve to unite us as neighbors and as lovers of music, regardless of our differences.' Neighborhood parks hosting SummerStage this year include Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem, Tompkins Square Park in the East Village, Herbert Von King Park and The Coney Island Amphitheater in Brooklyn, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, St. Mary's Park and Crotona Park in the Bronx, Stapleton Waterfront Park on Staten Island, and SummerStage's flagship venue Rumsey Playfield in Central Park. While there will be ticketed benefit concerts in Central Park, the rest of the performances will be free and open to the public. Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
USA Today
17-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UFC Fight Night 256 video: Gabe Green spoils Matheus Camilo's debut with slam, choke
UFC Fight Night 256 video: Gabe Green spoils Matheus Camilo's debut with slam, choke Matheus Camilo entered his UFC debut with a lot of buzz, but Gabe Green wasn't fazed. At UFC Fight Night 256 on Saturday, Green (12-5 MMA, 3-3 UFC) submitted Camilo (9-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) with a rear-naked choke at 3:43 of Round 2. The lightweight bout was the featured prelim at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Camilo had a successful first round and appeared to be on his way to finishing the fight when he locked in a triangle choke off his back. The lock appeared to be tight. As Green strained, he elevated Camilo and slammed him down. The impact resulted in Camilo's release of the submission attempt. Camilo rolled and gave up his back. Green gladly took it and landed some punches from that position. Eventually, Green locked in the rear-naked choke and got the tap. Green, 32, had not competed in two years and was coming off back-to-back losses. The fight was his divisional debut after five UFC appearances at welterweight. His UFC losses have come against Daniel Rodriguez, Ian Machado Garry, and Bryan Battle. Camilo, 24, was signed on a recent episode of "Dana White: Lookin' for a Fight." The defeat snapped a six-fight winning streak for the Xtreme Couture product. Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 256 results
USA Today
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Matheus Camilo recounts moment Dana White offered him UFC contract
Matheus Camilo recounts moment Dana White offered him UFC contract Show Caption Hide Caption UFC's Matheus Camilo recalls emotional family moment after signing UFC lightweight Matheus Camilo speaks to MMA Junkie Radio before his promotional debut at UFC Fight Night 256 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Matheus Camilo always felt it would happen, but now he can officially call himself a UFC fighter. In December, he earned himself a UFC deal at ZFN 2 in Goyang, South Korea – an event promoted by "The Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung for "Dana White: Lookin' for a Fight." He fought Dorobshokh Nabotov, a fighter who infamously asked Dana White for a shot at a press conference. Camilo (9-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) won by unanimous decision. "I know God wrote my story already," Camilo recently told MMA Junkie Radio. "When they offered me this fight, I just said yes. I went to Korea and I knew all the media and all the guys went for this guy, for (Dorobshokh) Nabotov. I don't take this pressure for me. I know this fight is for me and already made for me. We fought and I won and I impressed Dana White. I was so happy for that he liked because I fought against a wrestler. The guy was very tough. I defended his takedowns. I stood up with him. I struck with him. I did my best inside the cage that night. I believe that God already wrote my story. He's already made it." Camilo was initially disappointed that the performance was a bit wrestle-heavy due to his opponent's approach. But the self-criticism quickly evaporated when "Korean Zombie" told him the UFC CEO wanted to have a video call with him after the fight. "I got so happy, but I didn't know what was going on, if he's just going to say, 'Oh, you did a great fight. But you're young.' I didn't know what was going on," Camilo said. "In the end, I went to the little room. Dana White was there on the FaceTime. I was so happy just to see him and talk with him. He told me about the UFC contract and I didn't believe it. I was in shock. A lot of emotions, a lot of feelings." There were a lot of emotions flowing through Camilo, particularly considering his backstory and relationship with his family. When his father died during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Camilo decided to quit his MMA journey – but his mother would not let that happen. He went full-fledged into MMA and moved to the United States to train at Xtreme Couture, not seeing his family for years at a time. Getting to tell his mother it was finally worth it was a moment Camilo will cherish forever. "I wanted to do that surprise for her and she got so emotional, so emotional," Camilo said. "To answer your question, after my fight in Korea and everything and I knew I was already in the UFC, I called my mom inside the event. She was crying a lot. Five years ago when my father passed, I wanted to give up. I didn't want to fight any more. I wanted to work. I wanted to do another thing to change our lives because my father was the provider for our house. When he died, everything changed. It was going to be a hard life for us. I told my mom I wanted to give up. I wanted to work. I wanted to study. "She told me, she came to me and said, 'No, you're going to keep following your dreams, go back to Rio de Janeiro, follow your dreams. Because that's your dream and your father's dream.' That day in the event, I called her and she was crying. I told her, 'Mom, this is for you, and thank you because you never let me give up. This is for you. She got so emotional – so emotional." Saturday, Camilo (9-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC makes his promotional debut at UFC Fight Night 256 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't on Cloud 9. "The feeling is so grateful," Camilo said. "That feeling right now and always, I'm feeling so grateful to be a UFC fighter. It's very different. You feel good. You feel at home."
