Oh no. NIH is reportedly capping the "overhead" paid on research grants to 15% of direct costs, which would represent a 60-80% reduction for most grant recipients. I'd expect NSF and other funding agencies may likely follow suit. Why is this bad? Overhead on grants is what funds most of the […] - ThreadSky

mattblaze.federate.social.ap.brid.gy • 52 days ago

Oh no. NIH is reportedly capping the "overhead" paid on research grants to 15% of direct costs, which would represent a 60-80% reduction for most grant recipients. I'd expect NSF and other funding agencies may likely follow suit.

Why is this bad? Overhead on grants is what funds most of the […]

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mattblaze.federate.social.ap.brid.gy•52 days ago

When you get a research grant, the budget covers only the direct expenses of the project - salaries of the researchers and grad students, lab supplies, etc. But it doesn't cover the costs of the offices they sit at, the staff who support them, or any of the other expenses involved in maintain a […]

mattblaze.federate.social.ap.brid.gy•52 days ago

It's worth noting that the "overhead" is paid as a percentage of the budget for funded research grants - that is, specific projects that that the government has already decided to fund (generally through a competitive process). It doesn't apply to other things a university does, like teaching […]

mattblaze.federate.social.ap.brid.gy•52 days ago

The bottom line is that by reducing the overhead rate, the government is essentially saying "we're going to pay you significantly less for this grant than we said you would, but we expect the same research, since the direct research budget stays the same"

mattblaze.federate.social.ap.brid.gy•52 days ago

Ironically, the overhead charges that the government is slashing don't even pay for the "woke stuff" at universities - like students learning different viewpoints on things - that the current administration hates so much. It covers the parts of the university that do specific projects *for the […]

mattblaze.federate.social.ap.brid.gy•52 days ago

Also, the term "grant" is a bit of a misnomer here. A research grant is essentially a contract for research, with specific milestones and deliverables. It's not a "gift", as the term might imply to laypeople.

mattblaze.federate.social.ap.brid.gy•52 days ago

As a research, I don't enjoy the fact that my institution charges overhead. It means I have raise (about) $1.50 in grant money for every dollar I want to spend on my actual project. But I accept it, because I like doing my research indoors, having electricity and computers and heat, with people […]

chetwisniewski.securitycafe.ca.ap.brid.gy•52 days ago

@mattblaze You seem to they are doing this for some logical purpose. There is no logic. They are doing them because it upsets people who do care about other people and expect there to be a reason for things. Owning the libs, etc.

It is performance vengeance. It doesn't need to be real, it is […]

chetwisniewski.securitycafe.ca.ap.brid.gy•52 days ago

@mattblaze It's self-destruction performance art.

ang6666.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy•52 days ago

@mattblaze I work at a research medical school, and this environment is going to hurt.

Nonya-Bidniss.infosec.exchange.ap.brid.gy•52 days ago

@mattblaze But what a gift to China. I spoke to well known scientists when I was in the IC, who were receiving lavish offers of their own brand new labs if they'd come to China. Of course it's an offer with strings but many of them think...but I'll be able to do my work. China will go into […]

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