National Science Foundation Director Seturaman Panchanathan resigned suddenly on Thursday. Science Magazine It was first reported.
Panchanathan who goes to punch did not cite the reason for his departure. But like most other federal agencies, scientific fundraising organizations are flooded with chaos because of the Trump administration. Specifically, the NSF is facing a 55% cut in its annual budget of $9 billion for the upcoming fiscal year, according to science, and a massive layoff of half its 1,700 staff.
A memo sent to staff on Thursday, April 24th and obtained by ARS Technica confirmed that the NSF has been significantly reduced. This allowed staff to give their second chance of a transaction provided in their previous “Fork in the Road” email, allowing them to go on paid leave to leave the foundation by October. Anyone who stays will face “future restructuring, staffing, and a constrained budget environment.” This change is expected to “constrain future opportunities” within the NSF.
Earlier this month, NSF announced it would cancel active grants up to $1 billion in scientific research funding. The reason given was that grant-funded research was no longer a priority for government agencies. It appears to include research focused on environmental justice, The spread of incorrect informationand promote diversity in the scientific community. The New York Times reported earlier this week that it tallyed over 400 active NSF grants that have ended so far.
