Adriana Bankston

AAU Thanks Congress for Rejecting Cuts to Scientific Research in FY26 Budget | Association of American Universities (AAU) AAU thanks Congress for rejecting the massive, administration-proposed cuts to key scientific research agencies, as well as the remaining FY26 spending bills it is likely to consider later this week.

"We commend lawmakers for their bipartisan commitment to approving a budget that recognizes the indispensable role of science and education in improving the lives of all Americans."

Bar chart depicting FY26 Federal R&D Appropriations with entities: NIH, NSF, NASA, DOE, and NIST. NIH shows a slight increase of 0.9%. NSF, NASA, and DOE display decreases of -3.4%, -24.3%, and -3.4% respectively. NIST has a significant increase of 26.5%. Annotations compare budget requests to 2026 law. Features the AAAS logo.

With FY26 federal appropriations bills now signed into law, the R&D funding outlook is brighter than initially feared. Compared to the drastic cuts that were proposed in the spring, the bills show some increases, flat funding, or relatively small reductions for R&D.

U.S. government has lost more than 10,000 STEM Ph.D.s since Trump took office | Science | AAAS www.science.org/content/arti...

In the year since Donald Trump returned to the White House, U.S. science has experienced unprecedented disruption. In this special issue, Science’s news reporters take stock of the impacts on research and the scientific workforce, forecast what lies ahead, and assess the scientific community’s efforts to mitigate or reverse the harms.

In a new special issue, Science’s news reporters take stock of the impacts that Trump's year in office has had on research and the scientific workforce, forecast what lies ahead, and assess the scientific community’s efforts to mitigate or reverse the harms. https://scim.ag/4pPtks0

US science after a year of Trump: what has been lost and what remains A series of graphics reveals how the Trump administration has sought historic cuts to science and the research workforce.

Trump has been in office for one year. We at @nature.com did a deep dive looking at the administration's disruption of science in numbers.

Take a look—the numbers are staggering. By me, @dangaristo.bsky.social, Jeff Tollefson, @kimay.bsky.social, & help from @noamross.net @scott-delaney.bsky.social

‘Shattered’: US scientists speak out about how Trump policies disrupted their careers Researchers lay bare the human toll of lay-offs, funding cuts and attacks on science one year after the president’s return to the White House.

US researchers lay bare the human toll of lay-offs, funding cuts and attacks on science one year after the president’s return to the White House.

go.nature.com/4sPKR61

Cantwell, Young, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan National Quantum Initiative Reauthorization Act U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, Todd Young (R-Ind.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Ben Ray Luján...

The National Quantum Initiative has delivered—driving U.S. innovation, startups, jobs & global leadership in quantum tech. But staying ahead means sustained investment & moving breakthroughs from lab to market. Bipartisan NQI reauthorization is the next step.
www.commerce.senate.gov/2026/1/cantw...

Congress set to reject Trump’s major budget cuts to NSF, NASA, and energy science Appropriators agree instead to keep this year’s spending nearly level

The U.S. Congress has delivered another rebuke of President Donald Trump’s plans to slash this year’s budgets of several science agencies. https://scim.ag/49G7Zwe

Scientists belong in policy conversations. @abankston.bsky.social shares how she used her scientific training to shape decisions in Congress—and why federal research advocacy matters at every career stage. Read more: buff.ly/YkGH3Bd

Nine books to help shape your science career in 2026 If you’ve hatched a New Year plan to move abroad, improve your presentations or chase happiness as a 20-something researcher, you’ll find advice aplenty in these books.

Nine books to help shape your science career in 2026 www.nature.com/articles/d41... 🧪

NSF Wants To Supercharge FROs. We Spoke With the Scientists Who Proposed Them. We recently spoke with Adam Marblestone and Sam Rodriques, former FAS fellows who developed the idea for FROs and advocated for their use in a 2020 policy memo.

To mark the occasion, FAS CEO Daniel Correa spoke with @sgrodriques.bsky.social and @adammarblestone.bsky.social about how best to run a Tech Lab/FRO-style org, what they've learned, and the role federal funding can play:
fas.org/publication/...

At #IFORE25 we discussed the importance of international #PhDs in the #STEM #workforce, challenges and opportunities for #policy change, and how the #braindrain can impact retention of U.S. #scientific #talent. Missed the talk? Watch it here: bit.ly/4rLLCwj. @sonali-m-19.bsky.social

China’s scientific clout is growing as US influence wanes: the data show how An analysis of international research collaborations reveals the growing dominance of Chinese science.

China is redrawing the global science map

go.nature.com/4iLtoas

Trump Administration Impacts on Early Career Scientists and How To Fight Back Scientific research drives national progress and innovation, and must be protected at all costs. Actions from the Trump administration in early 2025 sent shockwaves across academic research. Federal s...

Check out this piece from me, @abankston.bsky.social , @siararouzer.bsky.social, @kassstem.bsky.social , Crystal Hammond, & Amy Ralston!

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...

Trump has ‘shaken the hell’ out of the 80-year research pact between the government and universities. What now? Trump has "shaken the hell" out of the 80-year research pact between the government and universities. What now?

Trump has "shaken the hell" out of the 80-year research pact between the government and universities. What now?
www.statnews.com/2025/12/04/a...

The U.S. Is Funding Fewer Grants in Every Area of Science and Medicine A quiet policy change means the government is making fewer bets on long-term science.

Since Trump took office, the US Is funding fewer grants in every area of science and medicine or 41 % below average

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Funding chaos may unravel decades of biomedical research Battles between the Trump administration and academic institutions are putting important biomedical advances in limbo.

Battles between the Trump administration and academic institutions are putting important biomedical advances in limbo.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/trump-harvard-funding-biomedical

"Success begins with asking the right scientific questions …" Darío Gil and Kathryn A. Moler

"By successfully integrating [AI] into research workflows, researchers could substantially increase scientific productivity … the US Genesis Mission sparks a critical conversation about how to realize this potential," write Darío Gil and Kathryn Moler in a #ScienceEditorial. https://scim.ag/3XVrZUN

The UC Berkeley campus sits empty on July 22, 2020, in Berkeley, Calif.

@uofcalifornia.bsky.social System Reverses Decision to End Incentives for Postdoc Program Hires https://bit.ly/49ZWrVa

#EDUSky #HigherEd #AcademicSky

The US government shutdown is over: what’s next for scientists Government researchers are heading back to work, but questions about the size of research-budget cuts will extend into next year.

We look at what comes next for science as the US government shutdown ends

go.nature.com/4oPgeLq

Curious how scientists influence policy? Join @abankston.bsky.social on Nov 13, 12–1 p.m. EST, for "From the lab to the legislature" and learn how your research experience can drive change in Congress. Register now: buff.ly/kDO5sln 🔗

A male scientist dressed in a lab coat, gloves and a mask types on a tablet in an agricultural research facility.

Career Advice | From Training to Thriving: Building Systems That Support International Scientists

Universities and professional organizations can take practical steps to remove systemic barriers faced by international Ph.D. students and postdocs in their career planning. https://bit.ly/3LuxbfE

The pipeline for Ph.D.s out of U.S. universities is shrinking America graduates more Ph.D.s than any other country. They go on to invent things, cure diseases and win Nobel Prizes. But admission slots are disappearing.

The pipeline for Ph.D.s out of U.S. universities is shrinking www.axios.com/2025/10/26/p...

US PhD admissions shrink as fears over Trump’s cuts take hold Some doctoral programmes are admitting no students at all amid uncertainty about federal science funding.

Some doctoral programmes in the US are admitting no students at all amid uncertainty about federal science funding

go.nature.com/4o63boK

Harvard FAS Cuts Ph.D. Seats By More Than Half Across Next Two Admissions Cycles | News | The Harvard Crimson The Faculty of Arts and Sciences slashed the number of Ph.D. student admissions slots for the Science division by more than 75 percent and for the Arts & Humanities division by about 60 percent for…

The Faculty of Arts and Sciences slashed the number of Ph.D. student admissions slots for the Science division by more than 75 percent and for the Arts & Humanities division by about 60 percent for the next two years.

William C. Mao and Veronica H. Paulus report.

www.thecrimson.com/article/2025...

Science costs money – research is guided by who funds it and why The federal government is more likely to fund curiosity-driven basic research, while industry is more likely to support research that has a clearer eventual payoff.

A study imagined NIH with 40% less funding. The result? More than half of FDA-approved drugs since 2000 might not exist. Basic research dollars have real-world impact.
buff.ly/CIfauh4

Ex-OSTP director: Trump funding cuts are ‘assault’ on public research investment Even if the cuts were reversed today, former OSTP Director Arati Prabhakar said the Trump administration’s “destruction” will have yearslong impact.

Even if the cuts were reversed today, former OSTP Director Arati Prabhakar said the Trump administration’s “destruction” will have yearslong impact. via @madialder.bsky.social fedscoop.com/ex-ostp-dire...

Married Nobel prize-winning economists move from US to Europe Other recent departures from Trump’s America include expert on antifascism who fled to Spain after receiving death threats

Two Nobel-winning economists are moving to Europe from an elite US university, becoming the latest academics to leave the country during Donald Trump’s second term

#AcademicSky #highered

Opinion | Trump’s ‘Compact’ With Universities Is Just Extortion

This op-ed is excellent and I encourage everyone to read it.

Universities must reject the Trump compact.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/o...

Woman holding book international scientists

Excited to co-author a chapter on #systemic reforms and #policy change for the #academic #research community in @sonali-m-19.bsky.social's book supporting #international #scientists!

The book will be out Oct 28. Pre-order it @ucpress.bsky.social w/ 30% discount code UCPSAVE30: bit.ly/4oj7DjN.