The Trump administration has dismissed members of the independent National Science Board, which oversees the National Science Foundation (NSF), in a move that has alarmed the scientific community.
Abrupt Termination
Members of the National Science Board received an email on Friday from the Presidential Personnel Office, sent on behalf of President Donald J. Trump, stating that their positions were terminated effective immediately. Keivan Stassun, a dismissed board member and Vanderbilt University professor, expressed disappointment, noting he was not entirely surprised. The board, established in 1950, advises the president and Congress on science and engineering policy, approves major funding awards, and guides NSF's future. It typically comprises 25 members appointed by the president to staggered six-year terms. The fired scientists hail from academia and industry, with expertise in astronomy, mathematics, chemistry, and aerospace engineering.
Political Reaction
Senator Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, condemned the move as a dangerous attack on institutions and expertise driving American innovation. The Trump administration previously attempted to cut the NSF's $9 billion budget by more than half last year, but Congress maintained funding. A similar reduction is proposed for the coming year. Stassun warned that without an advisory board, such cuts could be easier to implement, potentially eviscerating investments in fundamental research and training future scientists and engineers.
Additional Changes
The NSF's headquarters has also been relocated to a smaller building. Last year, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced it would move into the NSF's former base in Alexandria, Virginia. The NSF directed requests for comment to the White House, which did not immediately respond.
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