Mar 14, 2025 12:00:00

NASA and Yale researchers consider 'scientific asylum' as they fear their research will be censored due to the Donald Trump administration's anti-science policies

The personnel and budget cuts implemented by the Donald Trump administration are affecting all organizations, including the scientific field, with NASA

abolishing the department that provides expert advice, the 'Chief Scientist,' and the National Science Foundation, which conducts AI research, laying off 170 people. It has been discovered that American scientists who believe that their research is at risk of being censored by these Trump administration policies are considering moving overseas.

NASA, Yale, and Stanford Scientists Consider 'Scientific Exile,' French University Says
https://www.404media.co/nasa-yale-and-stanford-scientists-consider-scientific-exile-french-university-says/

Due to the Trump administration and Elon Musk's government reform policy, which heads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Trump administration, various organizations are being asked to review their budgets and personnel. The basis for this is

a presidential order that allows the active conversion of oil, natural gas, coal, etc. in the United States into energy, and a presidential order that abolishes the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) preferential treatment measures that were being promoted by the government as 'radical and wasteful.' As a result, government support for scientific research related to climate change, gender, race, and equity continues to be cut off.

In this situation, Aix-Marseille University, the largest university in France, has launched a special support program called ' Safe Place For Science ,' calling on American scientists who believe their research is at risk of being censored due to the Trump administration's anti-science policies to continue their research in France.

Regarding the program, Aix-Marseille University explained, 'Some American scientists feel threatened or hindered in their research. We welcome scientists who wish to conduct their research in an environment that is conducive to innovation, excellence and academic freedom.'

According to Aix-Marseille, the program has already attracted a lot of interest from scientists at American schools and government agencies, including NASA, Yale, and Stanford. In response to the growing interest, the university said it wanted to expand the program to other schools and European countries to absorb all the researchers who want to leave the United States.

The main research fields of the interested scientists include health (LGBT, medicine, epidemiology, infectious diseases, immunology, etc.), environment and climate change (natural disaster management, greenhouse gases, artificial intelligence), humanities and social sciences (communication, psychology, history, cultural heritage), and astrophysics.

One of them commented to technology outlet 404 Media, confiding, 'Because of the executive order, one of my research grants has been terminated. It wasn't a huge amount of money, but it was a large, high-profile national project. It wasn't enough to cut staff, but if the other project is terminated, I will have to lay off some people. Everything I'm passionate about has become taboo.'

Aix-Marseille University is already working closely with the local government and the French Chamber of Commerce to make it easier for scientists and their families to stay in France, providing support with employment and housing arrangements, transport subsidies, visas, etc. The initial plan is to provide funding of 15 million euros (approximately 2.41 billion yen) to 15 researchers.

'We are witnessing a new brain drain and we will do everything we can to enable as many scientists as possible to continue their research,' said Eric Berton, president of Aix-Marseille University.