As the Trump administration cuts billions of dollars Federal funding for scientific researchthousands of US scientists have lost jobs and grants – and governments and universities all over the world I found an opportunity.
The Canadian Lead program, launched in April, hopes to nurture the next generation of innovators by bringing early career biomedical researchers north of the border.
France’s AIX-Marseille University launched its “Safe For Science For Science” program in March. This pledges to “welcome” US-based scientists “who may feel threatened or interfered with in their research.”
The Australian Global Talent Attractions Program, announced in April, promises a competitive salary and transfer package.
“In response to what’s going on 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 I invested a lot of money In scientific research conducted at independent universities and federal agencies. That funding helped the United States become the world’s leading scientific force. And it led to the invention of mobile phones and the internet and new ways to treat cancer, heart disease and stroke, says Holden Thorpe, editor-in-chief of Journal Science.
But today, the system is shaking.
Since President Donald Trump took office in January, his administration has made massive cuts, pointing out what it called waste and inefficiency in federal science spending. Staff level and I will grant funds At the National Academy of Sciences, National Institutes of HealthNASA and other institutions, and also cut research funds flowing to Some private universities.
Next year’s White House budget proposal calls for a 40% reduction in the NIH budget and a 55% reduction in the National Science Foundation.
“The Trump administration has spent the first few months reviewing projects from previous administrations, enabling research spending to identify waste and continue to control innovatively in line with American priorities,” said White House spokesman Kush Desai.
Already, several universities have announced that they have suspended employment freezes, fired staff or allowed new graduate students. Thursday, Trump administration Harvard University’s ability has been revoked A judge but registers international students Please hold it.
Research institutions abroad are paying attention to collaborations that rely on American colleagues, but there are also opportunities to poach talent.
“Science is threatened… South of the border,” and Brad Wooters of the University Health Network of Canada’s leading hospitals and medical research centres, launched the “Canadian Lead” recruitment drive. “We have a pool of talent and we have an entire cohort that is impacted at this moment.”
Promises a safe place to do science
Universities around the world are constantly trying to recruit each other, as does high-tech companies and companies in other fields. What’s unusual about the present moment is that many global recruiters are targeting researchers by committing something new and seemingly threatened.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said this month that the European Union was intended to “protect freedom of scientific research in law.” She spoke at the launch of Bullock’s “Choosing Europe for Science.” This was in work before the Trump administration was cut, but it tried to take advantage of the moment.
Eric Berton, president of AIX-Marseille University, expressed similar sentiment after launching the institution’s “Safe Places for Safe Science” program.
“Our American research colleagues are not particularly interested in money,” he said of the applicants. “What they want more than anything is to continue their research and to preserve their academic freedom.”
It’s too early to say “brain drain”
It is too early for scientists to say how many scientists choose to leave the United States. It takes several months for universities to review applications and raise funds, and it takes longer for researchers to uproot their lives.
Furthermore, America’s lead in funding research and development is enormous, with even significant reductions potentially significant programs. For decades, the United States has been one of the world’s leading funders for R&D, including government, universities and private investment. In 2023, the country funded 29% of the world’s R&D, according to the American Association for Advances in Science.
However, some institutions abroad report important initial interests from US researchers, almost half of the applications of the “safe place for science” (139 out of a total of 300) from US-based scientists, including AI researchers and astrophysicists.
The number of US-based applicants for this year’s recruitment round of French Institute of Genetics, Molecular and Cell Biology, nearly doubled last year.
At the Max Planck Society in Germany, the Lise Meitner Excellence program aimed at young female researchers tripled the number of applications from US-based scientists last year.
Recruiters who work with businesses and nonprofits say they see similar trends.
Natalie Delhi, UK-based managing partner of global emerging science practices at recruiter Witkiefer, said her team had increased applicants by 25% to 35% as the US cold calls about open positions. When they reach out to scientists based in the now US, “We’re getting a much higher hit rate for people who show interest.”
Still, she said there are practical hurdles to overcome to become a continent. This includes language hurdles, arrangements for childcare and elder care, and significant differences between national pension or retirement programs.
Community Bonds
Brandon Coventry didn’t expect him to consider a scientific career outside of the United States. But the federal funding was because he was convinced of cuts and doubts about whether the new grant would come to fruition. Although he is reluctant to leave his family and friends, he has applied for teaching positions in Canada and France.
“I didn’t necessarily want to leave the US, but this is a serious candidate for me,” said Coventry, a postdoctoral researcher studying neuroimplants at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
But it’s not easy to take and move a scientific career. Needless to say, life.
Marianna Chang was a post-doctoral fellow at New York University when her National Science Foundation grant was cancelled, studying how children develop race and gender stereotypes. She said she felt that “America as a country is no longer interested in studying questions like me.”
Still, she wasn’t sure what she’d be next. “That’s not an easy solution. Just run away and run to another country,” she said.
The recruitment programme ranges from those seeking to attract 12 researchers to single universities, to “European Choice” initiatives across the continent.
However, it is unclear whether the total amount of funds provided and new positions matches those being circulated in the US.
Global Vacuum
Despite universities and labs considering recruiting talent from the US, there is more anxiety than they are happy about cutting funding.
“Science is a global effort,” says Patrick Kramer, head of the Max Planck Association.
One of the goals of promoting recruitment is to “help prevent the loss of talent to the global scientific community,” he said.
Scientists say that if collaborations are closed and databases are filmed offline, researchers around the world will suffer.
“The United States has always been an example, both in science and education,” says Patrick Schultz, president of the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, the French Institute of Genetics. Therefore, the cuts and policies were “very scary for us as they were examples of the whole world.”
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The Associated Press School of Health Sciences is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institution’s Science and Education Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. AP is solely responsible for all content.
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