Federal grant cancellations, restrictions on immigration for foreign scientists, and attempts to cut the budgets of science funding agencies by 60%—the past 18 months have been tumultuous for American science. Even after Congress restored the budgets, following the successful lobbying by leaders of the scientific community, universities are still hampered by the slow dispersal of the appropriated funds. Meanwhile, the continual attacks on science and the uncertainty brought on by the Trump administration have put many scientists in a state of fear and anxiety about the future of the American scientific enterprise, or at the very least, whiplash over the dizzying pace of defeats and victories. Equally nerve-wracking are the differing perspectives across the scientific community on the best course of action.
H. Holden Thorp (Thu,) studied this question.