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Foreign universities poaching top US scientists hit by Trump-era budget, job cuts
Foreign universities poaching top US scientists hit by Trump-era budget, job cuts

India Today

time27-05-2025

  • Science
  • India Today

Foreign universities poaching top US scientists hit by Trump-era budget, job cuts

A wave of job losses and funding cuts under the Trump administration has triggered a surge in international recruitment efforts, as universities and governments across the globe seek to attract US scientists facing uncertain futures at dramatic reduction in federal support for research has not only shaken the American scientific community but also opened the door for a potential brain drain, with foreign institutions offering safe havens and competitive President Donald Trump took office, his administration has slashed billions of dollars from agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), and NASA, citing the need to eliminate waste and realign spending priorities. Governments and universities worldwide have launched aggressive recruitment campaigns. (Photo: Reuters) The proposed budget for next year calls for a 40% cut to the NIH and a staggering 55% reduction for the measures have already led to hiring freezes, layoffs, and canceled grants at major US universities, leaving thousands of scientists—especially early-career researchers—scrambling for an opportunity, governments and universities worldwide have launched aggressive recruitment campaigns. advertisementCanada's "Canada Leads" program, announced in April, aims to bring early-career biomedical researchers north, promising resources and a supportive environment. France's Aix-Marseille University introduced the "Safe Place for Science" initiative in March, pledging to welcome US scientists who feel "threatened or hindered" in their research, the Associated Press too, has rolled out its "Global Talent Attraction Program," offering competitive salaries and relocation packages to lure top talent. European leaders have also moved to enshrine academic freedom in law, with the European Union's "Choose Europe for Science" campaign seeking to capitalise on the response has been swift: nearly half of the 300 applications to France's "Safe Place for Science" came from US-based researchers, and the Max Planck Society in Germany reported a threefold increase in applications from American scientists to its Lise Meitner Excellence note a 25–35% rise in inquiries from US scientists, many of whom are motivated less by money than by the desire to continue their research without political practical hurdles remain, including family ties, language barriers, and differences in pension it is too early to quantify the full extent of the exodus, the trend is clear: foreign institutions are actively courting US talent, and many American scientists are seriously considering offers the world's largest funder of research and development, the US still holds a commanding position, but the current climate has injected uncertainty into a system long seen as the gold standard for global coming months will reveal whether the US can stem the tide—or if the world's laboratories will gain a new generation of American pioneers.

Scientists have lost their jobs or grants in U.S. cuts. Foreign universities want to hire them
Scientists have lost their jobs or grants in U.S. cuts. Foreign universities want to hire them

Los Angeles Times

time25-05-2025

  • Politics
  • Los Angeles Times

Scientists have lost their jobs or grants in U.S. cuts. Foreign universities want to hire them

As the Trump administration cut billions of dollars in federal funding to scientific research, thousands of scientists in the U.S. lost their jobs or grants — and governments and universities around the world spotted an opportunity. The Canada Leads program, launched in April, hopes to foster the next generation of innovators by bringing early-career biomedical researchers north of the border. Aix-Marseille University in France started the Safe Place for Science program in March, pledging to welcome U.S.-based scientists who 'may feel threatened or hindered in their research.' Australia's Global Talent Attraction Program, announced in April, promises competitive salaries and relocation packages. 'In response to what is happening in the U.S.,' said Anna-Maria Arabia, head of the Australian Academy of Science, 'we see an unparalleled opportunity to attract some of the smartest minds here.' Since World War II, the U.S. has invested huge amounts of money in scientific research conducted at independent universities and federal agencies. That funding helped the U.S. to become the world's leading scientific power — and has led to the invention of cellphones and the internet as well as new ways to treat cancer, heart disease and strokes, noted Holden Thorp, editor in chief of the journal Science. But today that system is being shaken. Since President Trump took office in January, his administration has pointed to what it calls waste and inefficiency in federal science spending and made major cuts to staff levels and grant funding at the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, NASA and other agencies, while slashing research dollars that flow to some private universities. The White House budget proposal for next year aims to cut the NIH budget by roughly 40% and the National Science Foundation budget by 55%. 'The Trump administration is spending its first few months reviewing the previous administration's projects, identifying waste, and realigning our research spending to match the American people's priorities and continue our innovative dominance,' White House spokesperson Kush Desai said. Already, several universities have announced hiring freezes, laid off staff or stopped admitting new graduate students. On Thursday, the Trump administration revoked Harvard University's ability to enroll international students, though a judge put that on hold. Research institutions abroad are watching with concern for collaborations that depend on colleagues in the U.S. — but they also see opportunities to poach talent. 'There are threats to science ... south of the border,' said Brad Wouters of University Health Network, Canada's leading hospital and medical research center, which launched the Canada Leads recruitment drive. 'There's a whole pool of talent, a whole cohort that is being affected by this moment.' Universities worldwide are always trying to recruit from one another, just as tech companies and businesses in other fields do. What's unusual about the current moment is that many global recruiters are targeting researchers by promising something that seems newly threatened: academic freedom. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said this month that the European Union intends 'to enshrine freedom of scientific research into law.' She spoke at the launch of the bloc's Choose Europe for Science initiative, which was in the works before the Trump administration cuts but has sought to capitalize on the moment. Eric Berton, president of Aix-Marseille University, expressed a similar sentiment after launching the institution's Safe Place for Science program. 'Our American research colleagues are not particularly interested by money,' he said of applicants. 'What they want above all is to be able to continue their research and that their academic freedom be preserved.' It's too early to say how many scientists will choose to leave the U.S. It will take months for universities to review applications and dole out funding, and longer for researchers to uproot their lives. Plus, the American lead in funding research and development is enormous — and even significant cuts may leave crucial programs standing. The U.S. has been the world's leading funder of research and development — including government, university and private investment — for decades. In 2023, the country funded 29% of the world's R&D, according to the American Assn. for the Advancement of Science. But some institutions abroad are reporting significant early interest from researchers in the U.S. Nearly half of the applications to Safe Place for Science — 139 out of 300 total — came from U.S.-based scientists, including AI researchers and astrophysicists. U.S.-based applicants in this year's recruitment round for France's Institute of Genetics, Molecular and Cellular Biology roughly doubled over last year. At the Max Planck Society in Germany, the Lise Meitner Excellence Program — aimed at young female researchers — drew triple the number of applications from U.S.-based scientists this year as last year. Recruiters who work with companies and nonprofits say they see a similar trend. Natalie Derry, a U.K.-based managing partner of the Global Emerging Sciences Practice at recruiter WittKieffer, said her team has seen a 25% to 35% increase in applicants from the U.S. cold-calling about open positions. When they reach out to scientists currently based in the U.S., 'we are getting a much higher hit rate of people showing interest.' Still, there are practical hurdles to overcome for would-be continent-hoppers, she said. That can include language hurdles, arranging child care or elder care, and significant differences in national pension or retirement programs. Brandon Coventry never thought he would consider a scientific career outside the United States. But federal funding cuts and questions over whether new grants will materialize have left him unsure. While reluctant to leave his family and friends, he's applied to faculty positions in Canada and France. 'I've never wanted to necessarily leave the United States, but this is a serious contender for me,' said Coventry, who is a postdoctoral fellow studying neural implants at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. But it's not easy to pick up and move a scientific career — let alone a life. Marianna Zhang was studying how children develop race and gender stereotypes as a postdoctoral fellow at New York University when her National Science Foundation grant was canceled. She said it felt like 'America as a country was no longer interested in studying questions like mine.' Still, she wasn't sure of her next move. 'It's no easy solution, just fleeing and escaping to another country,' she said. The recruitment programs range in ambition, from those trying to attract a dozen researchers to a single university to the continent-wide Choose Europe for Science initiative. But it's unclear whether the total amount of funding and new positions offered could match what's being shed in the United States. Even as universities and institutes think about recruiting talent from the U.S., there's more apprehension than glee at the funding cuts. 'Science is a global endeavor,' said Patrick Cramer, head of the Max Planck Society, noting that datasets and discoveries are often shared among international collaborators. One aim of recruitment drives is 'to help prevent the loss of talent to the global scientific community,' he said. Researchers worldwide will suffer if collaborations are shut down and databases taken offline, scientists say. 'The U.S. was always an example, in both science and education,' said Patrick Schultz, president of France's Institute of Genetics, Molecular and Cellular Biology. So the cuts and policies were 'very frightening also for us because it was an example for the whole world.' Larson, Ramakrishnan and Keaten write for the Associated Press.

Trump's funding cuts spark global race to attract displaced US scientists
Trump's funding cuts spark global race to attract displaced US scientists

Business Standard

time25-05-2025

  • Politics
  • Business Standard

Trump's funding cuts spark global race to attract displaced US scientists

As the Trump administration cut billions of dollars in federal funding to scientific research, thousands of scientists in the US lost their jobs or grants and governments and universities around the world spotted an opportunity. The Canada Leads programme, launched in April, hopes to foster the next generation of innovators by bringing early-career biomedical researchers north of the border. Aix-Marseille University in France started the Safe Place for Science programme in March pledging to welcome U.S.-based scientists who may feel threatened or hindered in their research. Australia's Global Talent Attraction Programme, announced in April, promises competitive salaries and relocation packages. In response to what is happening in the US, said Anna-Maria Arabia, head of the Australian Academy of Sciences, we see an unparalleled opportunity to attract some of the smartest minds here. Since World War II, the US has invested huge amounts of money in scientific research conducted at independent universities and federal agencies. That funding helped the US to become the world's leading scientific power and has led to the invention of cell phones and the internet as well as new ways to treat cancer, heart disease and strokes, noted Holden Thorp, editor-in-chief of the journal Science. But today that system is being shaken. Since President Donald Trump took office in January, his administration has pointed to what it calls waste and inefficiency in federal science spending and made major cuts to staff levels and grant funding at the National Academy of Sciences, the National Institutes of Health, Nasa and other agencies, as well as slashing research dollars that flow to some private universities. The White House budget proposal for next year calls to cut the NIH budget by roughly 40 per cent and the National Science Foundation's by 55 per cent. The Trump administration is spending its first few months reviewing the previous administration's projects, identifying waste, and realigning our research spending to match the American people's priorities and continue our innovative dominance, said White House spokesperson Kush Desai. Already, several universities have announced hiring freezes, laid off staff or stopped admitting new graduate students. On Thursday, the Trump administration revoked Harvard University's ability to enroll international students, though a judge put that on hold. Research institutions abroad are watching with concern for collaborations that depend on colleagues in the US but they also see opportunities to potentially poach talent. There are threats to science ... south of the border, said Brad Wouters, of University Health Network, Canada's leading hospital and medical research centre, which launched the Canada Leads recruitment drive. There's a whole pool of talent, a whole cohort that is being affected by this moment. Promising a safe place to do science Universities worldwide are always trying to recruit from one another, just as tech companies and businesses in other fields do. What's unusual about the current moment is that many global recruiters are targeting researchers by promising something that seems newly threatened: academic freedom. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said this month that the European Union intends to to enshrine freedom of scientific research into law. She spoke at the launch of the bloc's Choose Europe for Science which was in the works before the Trump administration cuts but has sought to capitalise on the moment. Eric Berton, president of Aix-Marseille University, expressed a similar sentiment after launching the institution's Safe Place for Science programme. Our American research colleagues are not particularly interested by money," he said of applicants. What they want above all is to be able to continue their research and that their academic freedom be preserved. Too early to say 'brain drain' It's too early to say how many scientists will choose to leave the US. It will take months for universities to review applications and dole out funding, and longer for researchers to uproot their lives. Plus, the American lead in funding research and development is enormous and even significant cuts may leave crucial programs standing. The US has been the world's leading funder of R&D including government, university and private investment for decades. In 2023, the country funded 29 per cent of the world's R&D, according to the American Association for the Advancement of Science. But some institutions abroad are reporting significant early interest from researchers in the US. Nearly half of the applications to Safe Place for Science 139 out of 300 total came from US-based scientists, including AI researchers and astrophysicists. US-based applicants in this year's recruitment round for France's Institute of Genetics, Molecular and Cellular Biology roughly doubled over last year. At the Max Planck Society in Germany, the Lise Meitner Excellence Programme aimed at young female researchers drew triple the number of applications from US-based scientists this year as last year. Recruiters who work with companies and nonprofits say they see a similar trend. Natalie Derry, a UK-based managing partner of the Global Emerging Sciences Practice at recruiter WittKieffer, said her team has seen a 25 per cent to 35 per cent increase in applicants from the US cold-calling about open positions. When they reach out to scientists currently based in the US, we are getting a much higher hit rate of people showing interest. Still, there are practical hurdles to overcome for would-be continent-hoppers, she said. That can include language hurdles, arranging childcare or eldercare, and significant differences in national pension or retirement programs. Community ties Brandon Coventry never thought he would consider a scientific career outside the United States. But federal funding cuts and questions over whether new grants will materialise have left him unsure. While reluctant to leave his family and friends, he's applied to faculty positions in Canada and France. I've never wanted to necessarily leave the United States, but this is a serious contender for me, said Coventry, who is a postdoctoral fellow studying neural implants at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. But it's not easy to pick up and move a scientific career let alone a life. Marianna Zhang was studying how children develop race and gender stereotypes as a postdoctoral fellow at New York University when her National Science Foundation grant was cancelled. She said it felt like America as a country was no longer interested in studying questions like mine. Still, she wasn't sure of her next move. It's no easy solution, just fleeing and escaping to another country, she said. The recruitment programmes range in ambition, from those trying to attract a dozen researchers to a single university to the continent-wide Choose Europe initiative. But it's unclear if the total amount of funding and new positions offered could match what's being shed in the US. A global vacuum Even as universities and institutes think about recruiting talent from the US, there's more apprehension than glee at the funding cuts. Science is a global endeavour, said Patrick Cramer, head of the Max Planck Society, noting that datasets and discoveries are often shared among international collaborators. One aim of recruitment drives is to to help prevent the loss of talent to the global scientific community, he said. Researchers worldwide will suffer if collaborations are shut down and databases taken offline, scientists say. The US was always an example, in both science and education, said Patrick Schultz, president of France's Institute of Genetics, Molecular and Cellular Biology. So the cuts and policies were very frightening also for us because it was an example for the whole world. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Foreign universities look to hire scientists who lost jobs or grants in US cuts
Foreign universities look to hire scientists who lost jobs or grants in US cuts

Hindustan Times

time25-05-2025

  • Politics
  • Hindustan Times

Foreign universities look to hire scientists who lost jobs or grants in US cuts

As the Trump administration cut billions of dollars in federal funding to scientific research, thousands of scientists in the US lost their jobs or grants. Governments and universities around the world spotted an opportunity in this. The 'Canada Leads' programme, launched in April, hopes to foster the next generation of innovators by bringing early-career biomedical researchers north of the border. Aix-Marseille University in France started the 'Safe Place for Science' programme in March, pledging to 'welcome' U.S.-based scientists who 'may feel threatened or hindered in their research.' Australia's 'Global Talent Attraction Programme,' announced in April, promises competitive salaries and relocation packages. 'In response to what is happening in the US,' said Anna-Maria Arabia, head of the Australian Academy of Sciences, 'we see an unparalleled opportunity to attract some of the smartest minds here.' Since World War II, the US has invested huge amounts of money in scientific research conducted at independent universities and federal agencies. That funding helped the US to become the world's leading scientific power — and has led to the invention of cell phones and the internet as well as new ways to treat cancer, heart disease and strokes, noted Holden Thorp, editor-in-chief of the journal Science. But today that system is being shaken. Since President Donald Trump took office in January, his administration has pointed to what it calls waste and inefficiency in federal science spending and made major cuts to staff levels and grant funding at the National Academy of Sciences, the National Institutes of Health, NASA and other agencies, as well as slashing research dollars that flow to some private universities. The White House budget proposal for next year calls to cut the NIH budget by roughly 40 per cent and the National Science Foundation's by 55 per cent. 'The Trump administration is spending its first few months reviewing the previous administration's projects, identifying waste, and realigning our research spending to match the American people's priorities and continue our innovative dominance,' said White House spokesperson Kush Desai. Already, several universities have announced hiring freezes, laid off staff or stopped admitting new graduate students. On Thursday, the Trump administration revoked Harvard University's ability to enroll international students, though a judge put that on hold. Research institutions abroad are watching with concern for collaborations that depend on colleagues in the US — but they also see opportunities to potentially poach talent. 'There are threats to science ... south of the border,' said Brad Wouters, of University Health Network, Canada's leading hospital and medical research centre, which launched the 'Canada Leads' recruitment drive. 'There's a whole pool of talent, a whole cohort that is being affected by this moment.' Universities worldwide are always trying to recruit from one another, just as tech companies and businesses in other fields do. What's unusual about the current moment is that many global recruiters are targeting researchers by promising something that seems newly threatened: academic freedom. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said this month that the European Union intends to 'to enshrine freedom of scientific research into law.' She spoke at the launch of the bloc's 'Choose Europe for Science,' which was in the works before the Trump administration cuts but has sought to capitalise on the moment. Eric Berton, president of Aix-Marseille University, expressed a similar sentiment after launching the institution's 'Safe Place for Science' programme. 'Our American research colleagues are not particularly interested by money," he said of applicants. 'What they want above all is to be able to continue their research and that their academic freedom be preserved.' It's too early to say how many scientists will choose to leave the US. It will take months for universities to review applications and dole out funding, and longer for researchers to uproot their lives. Plus, the American lead in funding research and development is enormous and even significant cuts may leave crucial programs standing. The US has been the world's leading funder of R&D, including government, university and private investment for decades. In 2023, the country funded 29 per cent of the world's R&D, according to the American Association for the Advancement of Science. But some institutions abroad are reporting significant early interest from researchers in the US. Nearly half of the applications to 'Safe Place for Science', 139 out of 300 total, came from US-based scientists, including AI researchers and astrophysicists. US-based applicants in this year's recruitment round for France's Institute of Genetics, Molecular and Cellular Biology roughly doubled over last year. At the Max Planck Society in Germany, the Lise Meitner Excellence Programme, aimed at young female researchers, drew triple the number of applications from US-based scientists this year as last year. Recruiters who work with companies and nonprofits say they see a similar trend. Natalie Derry, a UK-based managing partner of the Global Emerging Sciences Practice at recruiter WittKieffer, said her team has seen a 25 per cent to 35 per cent increase in applicants from the US cold-calling about open positions. When they reach out to scientists currently based in the US, 'we are getting a much higher hit rate of people showing interest.' Still, there are practical hurdles to overcome for would-be continent-hoppers, she said. That can include language hurdles, arranging childcare or eldercare, and significant differences in national pension or retirement programs. Brandon Coventry never thought he would consider a scientific career outside the United States. But federal funding cuts and questions over whether new grants will materialise have left him unsure. While reluctant to leave his family and friends, he's applied to faculty positions in Canada and France. 'I've never wanted to necessarily leave the United States, but this is a serious contender for me,' said Coventry, who is a postdoctoral fellow studying neural implants at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. But it's not easy to pick up and move a scientific career — let alone a Zhang was studying how children develop race and gender stereotypes as a postdoctoral fellow at New York University when her National Science Foundation grant was cancelled. She said it felt like 'America as a country was no longer interested in studying questions like mine.' Still, she wasn't sure of her next move. 'It's no easy solution, just fleeing and escaping to another country,' she said. The recruitment programmes range in ambition, from those trying to attract a dozen researchers to a single university to the continent-wide 'Choose Europe' initiative. But it's unclear if the total amount of funding and new positions offered could match what's being shed in the US. Even as universities and institutes think about recruiting talent from the US, there's more apprehension than glee at the funding cuts. 'Science is a global endeavour,' said Patrick Cramer, head of the Max Planck Society, noting that datasets and discoveries are often shared among international collaborators. One aim of recruitment drives is to 'to help prevent the loss of talent to the global scientific community,' he said. Researchers worldwide will suffer if collaborations are shut down and databases taken offline, scientists say. 'The US was always an example, in both science and education,' said Patrick Schultz, president of France's Institute of Genetics, Molecular and Cellular Biology. So the cuts and policies were 'very frightening also for us because it was an example for the whole world.' (AP) NPK NPK

A fund crunch in the US, an opportunity for India
A fund crunch in the US, an opportunity for India

Indian Express

time17-05-2025

  • Business
  • Indian Express

A fund crunch in the US, an opportunity for India

Over the past few months, I have watched, with profound anguish, the foundations of the knowledge economy in the United States, the jewel in its crown and the envy of the world, being systematically dismantled. My own university, a symbol of excellence in transformational science, is engaged in a veritable battle for survival. While I am immensely proud of our position in standing up for our values and principles, the consequences of this resistance are painful, not least for young scientists whose careers are vaporising before their eyes. At the same time, I have been watching how other wealthy countries, especially in Europe, are announcing plans to feast on the rich pickings of scientists in the US who are looking to other countries to continue their work. France, for example, through the Aix-Marseille University's Safe Place for Science programme, is offering positions and support to US researchers. Former French President François Hollande has introduced a bill to recognise refugee status specifically for scientists. It dawned on me that this may be a once-in-a-lifetime moment for India to reap a rich harvest in pursuit of the country's ambition to become a world leader in science. To do so, India would need to recognise that high-quality science is the result of the confluence of a number of key factors, the most important being the scientists themselves, equipped with the right skills and driven by the hunger to generate knowledge. This scientist needs the right environment, typically in research institutions, where they can flourish, often collaborating with others and being mentored by more experienced scholars. And finally, we need the money to pay for the scientists, for creating the environment and for the actual research that will be conducted. In my reckoning, India has both the environment and the money, and the current moment offers the country a historic chance to replenish and enrich its knowledge economy. Some may be perturbed by the suggestion of using Indian funds to attract scientists from abroad rather than invest in scientists already in India. While that is certainly not my intent, the fact is that scientists in the US, many of whom have completed their foundational training in India, dominate the list of laureates of the most prestigious science prizes, such as the Nobel, Lasker, Brain and Breakthrough Prizes. Even if there is some truth to the gripe that these top prizes are rigged in favour of Western scientists, there is no denying that the dramatic scientific discoveries of the past five decades, which have transformed almost every aspect of our daily lives, have emerged from the laboratories of scientists in the US. Something special about the scientific environment in the US appears to facilitate the leapfrog opportunity for these young scientists to become stars, and recruiting them may bring some of that gold dust to Indian institutions. I identify at least two strategies for India to respond to this opportunity. The first is to fund the ongoing research being conducted in India that is funded by the US government institutions. The abrupt freeze on international research by the National Institutes of Health, for example, has grave implications for some of these projects, not only in relation to the scientific outputs but also healthcare. Let us not forget that while these studies are funded by the US, they involve patients in India and their implementation is being carried out by Indian scientists and field research teams in the country. Here is an opportunity for India to take full ownership of these studies by providing bridge funding to the institutions to complete this ongoing research, for the benefit not only of people in the country but also as a contribution to science. The second strategy is a dramatic expansion of the current Indian government's VAIBHAV and VAJRA fellowship programmes to attract diaspora and foreign scientists for collaborative research with Indian institutions and build strong international research networks. The first batch of VAIBHAV fellows was selected in early 2024, with a total of about 75 diaspora scientists expected to participate over three years, supported by an outlay of approximately Rs 80 crore. Now is the time to expand the scope of these programmes, going beyond short-term visits to India to relocating permanently to the country, increasing the amounts of start-up funding and resources to enhance the competitiveness of the offers, implementing actions to enable a transparent mechanism for awarding these fellowships and enabling complete freedom to pursue their research. All these actions would also greatly benefit the country's science ecosystem. None of this will happen without additional money, of course, and while the primary funder for these strategies will necessarily be the government (as is already the case in India and most other countries), there is obviously an opportunity for the several philanthropic foundations that operate in India, some of which have already been playing marquee roles in supporting science through substantive donations to leading Indian institutions. The Indian Philanthropy Report 2025 documents how private spending on the social sector reached Rs 131,000 crore in 2024, and is expected to accelerate to 10–12 per cent over the next five years, largely driven by family philanthropy. Time is short, especially for the research that is already in progress and is threatened with abrupt cessation as a result of Trump's policies. Those of us who believe that India's development is contingent on it realising its aspirations to become one of the leaders of the global knowledge economy must act now. The writer is the Paul Farmer Professor of Global Health at Harvard Medical School

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