NSF to ONLY fund research in five areas: artificial intelligence, quantum information science, biotechnology, nuclear energy, and translational science. Can this be happening? www.science.org/content/arti... - ThreadSky

dustinrubenstein.com • 2 days ago

NSF to ONLY fund research in five areas: artificial intelligence, quantum information science, biotechnology, nuclear energy, and translational science. Can this be happening?

https://www.science.org/content/article/nsf-slashes-number-rotators-and-well-paid-managers-part-restructuring?utm_campaign=NewsfromScience&utm_medium=ownedSocial&utm_source=twitter

Comments

mbkplus.bsky.social•2 days ago

I didn’t read it like this — I read that the only rotators retained would be in these 5 priority areas. I assume other areas would continue to operate, though it’s unclear exactly how. But of course, it’s really hard to know

quintonlawton.com•2 days ago

Yeah, not claiming this is good (it is not), but the article does specially mention all directorates will be retained.

urban-achiever.bsky.social•2 days ago

I wonder if that's just in name only. As in they are keeping the org chart and getting rid of the people who actually do the work within the directorates.

quintonlawton.com•2 days ago

I mean they are certainly gutting most of the divisions. There is nothing good going on, that’s for sure.

wxmanms1.bsky.social•2 days ago

It sounds to me like they are maintaining the directorates but they will focus on funding projects within the five administration priorities. So for my area (atmospheric science) I could see them focusing on AI related work.

alexismya.bsky.social•1 day ago

You are correct. Only rotators will be involved in those five areas listed in the memo. NSF should still have the eight directorates a lot as far as we know right now but the memos specifically spoke about the rotators working on those five areas only

laurenfuess.bsky.social•2 days ago

Well then how do you read the following paragraph?? Cause this one isn’t about rotators.

mbkplus.bsky.social•2 days ago

It explicitly says they’re retaining directorates. Eliminating divisions as subunits of the directorates is idiotic but it doesn’t mean they’re eliminating the science done within those divisions. (Unless they are, who really knows)

justingallivan.bsky.social•2 days ago

It is written very poorly. On first read, I too thought they were limiting their scope, but parsing it, it appears that the directorates will remain and that the reduced roster of IPAs will focus on the five priority areas.

laurenfuess.bsky.social•2 days ago

But it also says the directorates will fund research in those five priority areas.. that’s what concerns me.

mbkplus.bsky.social•2 days ago

Oh, it’s going to be a hot mess, and even in a best-case scenario there’s going to be way less money to go around. But I read that as the clusters will replace divisions as subunits within directorates and these will get special attention / funds. I have no insider info though.

mgould.bsky.social•2 days ago

T.S. Essentially meaning any/only the applied science the (non-scientist) funders deem important.

skryazhi.bsky.social•1 day ago

Wow, this is insane. @billgates.com: you want to spend your foundation money by 2045? Why not open up your own version of NSF to fund all science EXCEPT artificial intelligence, quantum information science, biotechnology, nuclear energy, and translational science?

danhicks.bsky.social•1 day ago

I don't have access on my phone, but IIRC they were only going to have rotators in these areas and put other areas under career staff

quatraingleam.bsky.social•2 days ago

Any of this legal?

h0pe4dfuture.bsky.social•2 days ago

So essentially we're paying Musk's bills for projects he's invested in?

cathleencrudden.bsky.social•2 days ago

Chemistry??

snowfolk.bsky.social•21 hours ago

Science in a Dictatorship:

-Hitler: Einstein is a Jew! His theories about atomic structure and building atomic bombs is a lie!
-Krushev: Western semiconductors are a plot so must kept out of our MIG fighters!
-Future Trump: There is a "Q" in Quantum computing...

betsymendelsohn.bsky.social•1 day ago

here's Vannevar Bush's visionary essay, published in 1945, on the mission of what would become the NSF. The one linked here is published in an NSF publication celebrating the agency's 75th anniversary. Bush lays out the value of basic science research. https://nsf-gov-resources.nsf.gov/2023-04/EndlessFrontier75th_w.pdf

catportfolio.bsky.social•2 days ago

Materials science?

linesdown.bsky.social•2 days ago

The Antarctic program?

merz.bsky.social•2 days ago

Moved to Greenland ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

briantrainor.bsky.social•2 days ago

Call your representative and senators and tell them this. I got through to a person yesterday at the Padilla office. Or do what @adeleseelke.bsky.social did a go to an office and tell them in person. You’re doing important work, they need to hear from you

birddroneone.bsky.social•1 day ago

Back to pre-Enlightenment times, I guess, which was when smart people realized that there was value to funding the search for knowledge independent of need or return.

Not clear there would ever be commercial support for astronomy or high-energy physics remotely comparable to costs.

birddroneone.bsky.social•1 day ago

Plus many, many other areas of science both hard and soft, that have no commercial potential (until, surprise, they do).

msier.bsky.social•2 days ago

Awful

drgeophysics.bsky.social•2 days ago

Yes, red alert.

alexismya.bsky.social•1 day ago

You are not correct. I'm on NSF employee. The memo that we received on Friday said that rotators will only be involved in those five areas. We are not sure about the reorganization of it but we will probably still have the eight directorates.

coyote108.bsky.social•2 days ago

America falls behind. Trump is not a builder, he is a destroyer. That’s the entirety of the plan; destroy America.

rebelipar.bsky.social•2 days ago

Isn't translational work generally a thing they haven't done? (This sucks)

robscottanthro.bsky.social•2 days ago

This is really unclear but really alarming.

technicallyowen.bsky.social•1 day ago

That's the trump regime in general if you're not specific it's harder to file the lawsuits to stop you.

brazuca.bsky.social•2 days ago

vpterson.bsky.social•2 days ago

So fuck research into medicine, basic science, diseases & human health?

gluonspring.bsky.social•2 days ago

Most of that is done by NIH. Which they also propose to slash, but not eliminate.

groupharding.bsky.social•2 days ago

If the US does this they will have voluntarily given up their position as a leader of scientific research and a director of the scientific conversation.

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