Scientists sound alarm as Trump reshapes US research landscape

Scientists sound alarm as Trump reshapes U.S. research landscape

President Donald Trump's first budget proposal has prompted concern from scientists and research advocates who fear that cuts to federal science agencies will impede progress in critical fields.

Trump released a $1.15 trillion blueprint for the fiscal year beginning in October, which would cut spending by 10 percent compared to current levels. The budget targets several agencies involved in scientific research, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Institute of Health's (NIH) infectious disease programs, the NASA Earth Science Division and the U.S. Geological Survey.

The American Society for Microbiology warned that cuts to NIH's infectious disease programs could slow or even halt critical efforts in antibiotic research and surveillance for biological threats. The group said that infectious diseases do not take a budget into account when it comes to infecting people, making these types of research vital.

Similarly, the Earth Science Division at NASA supports activities related to climate change. Eliminating or reducing funding to this division would limit scientists' ability to understand current climate patterns and predict future trends, according to the American Geophysical Union (AGU).

AGU also warned that cuts to NOAA could impact our understanding of extreme weather events. The budget request includes a proposed transfer of all climate programs from NOAA's Earth Science Division to another agency, which AGU said would be detrimental to scientific progress.

The National Academy of Medicine stated that the president's budget proposal would negatively affect health and medicine by reducing funding for medical research and public health activities. They added that cuts to the National Institute on Aging could impede efforts to understand aging-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, which affects millions of Americans.

Edward Lance Arellano Lorilla

CEO / Co-Founder

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