Article Summary
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has canceled dozens of grants and eliminated its Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM, affecting around 100 employees. This move is part of a broader restructuring effort by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to eliminate awards with a narrow impact, including those related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and misinformation/disinformation.
What This Means for You
- As an employee or grant recipient at the NSF, you may be affected by the recent grant cancellations and restructuring initiatives. This could mean a change in your job responsibilities, grant eligibility, or even employment status.
- If you’re a researcher or scientist in the STEM field, the elimination of the Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM may impact funding opportunities for diversity and inclusion initiatives. It’s essential to stay informed about potential changes and explore alternative funding sources.
- As a taxpayer, you may have concerns about how government funds are allocated for scientific research. Understanding the reasoning behind these grant cancellations and restructuring efforts can help you make informed decisions about advocating for scientific research and education.
- Looking ahead, it’s crucial to monitor how these changes will affect the future of scientific research and the emphasis placed on DEI initiatives in federal funding.
Original Post
WASHINGTON – The National Science Foundation canceled dozens of additional grants on May 9 as the Department of Government Efficiency continues winnowing the agency’s projects, according to multiple sources with direct knowledge of the changes.
The agency also announced in a staff memo obtained by USA TODAY that it is eliminating its Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM team. The memo says the agency is laying off around 70 employees. The agency plans to eliminate around 300 additional temporary positions. And employees who have worked remotely for years will need to begin working out of NSF’s headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, by June 16.
The Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM promoted “diversity, equity and inclusion in STEM by removing barriers and supporting the full participation of underrepresented groups in science and engineering fields,” according to a webpage removed from the NSF website May 9.
The day before, leadership announced it would dramatically restructure the agency that has funded nonmedical scientific research for nearly 75 years.
The grant cancellations mark the third wave of terminations to upend the agency in recent weeks. In total, the NSF has stopped more than 1,400 projects worth more than $1 billion, according to a public list of canceled grants maintained by researchers at science nonprofit rOpenSci and Harvard University.
Many of the terminated grants have been touted by the Department of Government Efficiency as “wasteful DEI” funding and several align with a 2024
report published by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz identifying projects he argued had been "politicized."
In addition to the grant changes, the agency's director, Sethuraman Panchanathan, abruptly resigned from his position late last month. Panchanathan was appointed to the lead the agency during Trump's first term.
In late April, DOGE staffers showed up at the NSF headquarters, multiple NSF employees told USA TODAY. A few days later, the agency announced it would adjust its priorities to eliminate awards "with more narrow impact limited to subgroups of people based on protected class or characteristics," including those related to "diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and misinformation/disinformation."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: National Science Foundation eliminates equity division, cancels grants
Key Terms
- National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)
- Grant cancellations
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)
- Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM
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