Opinion: Federal research instability risks postdoc careers, American leadership
In a new National Postdoctoral Association report, 43% of postdocs said Trump administration policies have threatened their positions, while more than one-third said their research is delayed or in jeopardy.…
Avery Davis Bell is a postdoctoral scholar at Georgia Institute of Technology who receives National Science Foundation funding. She also fears for the future of her research, which focuses on understanding the rules governing DNA differences that affect many areas of biology, including agriculture and human health. “Will I be able to stay in a basic research job in any capacity, at any institution?” she wrote in a recent survey that my organization, the National Postdoctoral Association, recently conducted.
Successful science and research efforts require a level of funding predictability. Over the past century, America has built an unparalleled engine of science and research innovation and accomplishment through a combination of public and private investment. In a research environment driven by intellectual curiosity, hard work, and rigorous principles, fear and instability are threats.
