Congress Cuts Funding for Key Federal Research Agencies, Including the National Science Foundation
Last week, both the House and the Senate voted to pass a six-bill government funding package for FY24. The package contains cuts or nearly flat funding for many key federal research agencies. The National Science Foundation, for example, received $9.06 billion – 5% less than what it received (excluding supplemental funding) last year. NASA’s funding was cut by 2% and the science programs within NASA received an almost 6% reduction. The Department of Energy Office of Science received $140 million more than FY23, but the Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy saw a $10 million cut.
AAU President Barbara R. Snyder said the cuts to the National Science Foundation were deeply concerning. The agency invests more than 90% of its budget directly to support research across the nation, and this research has fueled some of the greatest medical, technological, and economic breakthroughs of the last 70-plus years.
As President Snyder noted, “The NSF was identified as critical to our national competitiveness in recent legislation, which set it on a five-year growth plan.” Instead, Congress has now reneged on its promise and reduced the NSF’s capacity by almost $500 million. “We need to pay more than lip service to ensure U.S. scientific leadership in the future and put real dollars forward to support NSF and its critical programs,” said President Snyder, continuing: “We must refocus our efforts and ensure that we make up the deficit in FY25.”
ICYMI: Fund American Science: Congress Must Act Now to Fund the CHIPS and Science Act
University Collaboration Helps Make 3D Scans of Thousands of Natural History Specimens Available to the Public for Free
A project led by the University of Florida has made available thousands of CT scans of specimens at natural history museums across the country online for free. openVertebrate or oVert is a six-year collaborative project between 18 institutions that has given new digital life to museum collections that typically reside behind closed doors.
The scans have enabled scientists to generate new insights and discoveries by allowing them to examine specimens without travelling to the museums containing them. (One study of the specimen scans found, for example, that “frogs have lost teeth over 20 times during their evolution.”) According to the University of Florida, “the value of oVert extends beyond scientific inquiry.” It noted: “Artists have used the 3D models to create realistic animal replicas, photographs of oVert specimens have been displayed as museum exhibits, and specimens have been incorporated into virtual reality headsets that give users the chance to interact with and manipulate them.” Teachers have also printed scans using 3D printers to create replicas for classroom use. The full oVert repository is available on MorphoSource; a sample of interactive 3D models is available on Sketchfab.
The project was initially funded by the National Science Foundation. Other collaborators include Cornell University; Duke University; Harvard University; Texas A&M University; the University of California, Berkeley; the University of California, San Diego; the University of Chicago; the University of Kansas; the University of Michigan; the University of Texas at Austin; the University of Washington; and Yale University.
New White House Report Underscores the Importance of International Science and Technology Cooperation
The White House’s National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) recently released its “Biennial Report to Congress on International Science and Technology Cooperation.” The report underscores the importance of international collaboration to maintaining U.S. leadership in global science. The NSTC advises the president on science and technology matters.
The report argues that international science and technology cooperation “generates vital economic, political, societal, national security, development, and diplomatic benefits for both the United States and the world” by “bringing together a wide range of viewpoints and resources that lead to scientific discoveries and technological innovations.”
The report notes that investments in domestic science and technology are crucial to ensuring that the United States remains “in the strongest position possible to collaborate, compete, and lead internationally.” The report specifically notes that international cooperation is crucial to creating standards and frameworks for critical emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum information science, and biotechnology and biomanufacturing.
AAU’s Immigrant Spotlight Features Architecture Professor from Notre Dame
AAU’s latest Immigrant Spotlight is on University of Notre Dame Associate Professor in Architecture Krupali Uplekar Krusche. The Immigrant Spotlight series shares stories of talented immigrant researchers who are helping power U.S. innovation and contributing to global U.S. scientific leadership.
The spotlight tracks Krusche’s journey from Mumbai, India, to Notre Dame and highlights a remarkable career dedicated to the fields of urban and architectural design. Krusche directs two labs at Notre Dame; one specializes in using advanced mapping techniques to create 3D documentation of UNESCO World Heritage Sites (such as the Taj Mahal); the other lab focuses on mitigating the effects of climate change on urban and built environments. In the spotlight feature Krusche talks about her research projects, the future of research in her field, the role of the U.S. immigration system in her career, and more.
Read all the stories in our Immigrant Spotlight series here.
News of Interest
Austin American-Statesman: ‘They’re There for Texas’: How Researchers Make an Impact as UT Hits $1B in Expenditures – The University of Texas at Austin spent $1.06 billion last year on “more than 4,000 research projects” across the university. Almost a quarter of those expenditures (22.3%) came from the institution itself; 60.9% came from the federal government. UT Vice President for Research Dan Jaffe said that research at the university directly helps the community. “[The university] serves as … an intellectual lifeboat for the rest of society. When they’re needed to support an emergency, they’re there for Texas,” he said.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Pitt Helps Launch Network to Support Education of Women and Girls in Afghanistan – Eleven universities, including the University of Pittsburgh, recently launched a network to “provide online university education and English language training for women in Afghanistan.” The U.S. Network for Afghan Women will also provide entrepreneurship training, scholarships, and housing and support services. Other founding members of the network include Arizona State University, Boston University, New York University, and Stanford University.
Inside Higher Ed: Brown Reinstates Standardized Testing Requirement – Brown University announced that it will reinstate standardized testing requirements for its Class of 2029. The announcement followed similar decisions by Dartmouth College and Yale University. Brown Provost Francis J. Doyle III said in a statement: “Consideration of test scores in the context of each student’s background will advance Brown’s commitment to academic excellence.”
The New York Times: Report Helps Answer the Question: Is a College Degree Worth the Cost? – A new analysis by HEA Group found that, 10 years after they first enrolled in college, former students of most colleges in the United States earn more than high school graduates with no higher education. Of the colleges that fell short of meeting the economic benchmark, many “were for-profit colleges concentrating in short-term credentials.”
USA Today: Melissa Gilliam, the First Female and Black President of BU, Shows What Is Possible – Boston University President-elect Melissa Gilliam is one of USA Today’s “Women of the Year.” In an interview, she spoke about how she plans to connect with BU students and about the power of setting an example. “Seeing something for the first time helps all people know what is possible and can inspire others to try things in their own lives,” she said.
The Arizona Republic: How ASU Is Helping the State Department Secure Microchip Supply Chains – The State Department’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs recently awarded Arizona State University and its Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering a $13.8 million contract “to help evaluate the semiconductor supply chains of several key foreign trading partners and allies.” Once the evaluation is complete, experts from ASU will help the nations “fix shortcomings” in their supply chains, thus building up overall supply-chain resilience.
Featured Research

Novel Cancer Vaccine Offers New Hope for Dogs – and Those Who Love Them
A Yale University researcher has developed a vaccine, currently undergoing USDA approval, that slows the growth of cancer tumors in dogs. In clinical trials, the vaccine increased “the 12-month survival rates of dogs with certain cancers from about 35% to 60%” and, for some dogs, even shrunk the tumors. The vaccine may eventually be used to treat cancer in humans.

Harmful ‘Forever Chemicals’ Removed from Water with New Electrocatalysis Method
Scientists from the University of Rochester have developed “new electrochemical approaches” to removing PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals,” from water. The method could be used in the future “at wastewater treatment facilities and by companies to clean up contaminated sites where they used to produce these PFAS chemicals.”
From Our Feeds
Vanderbilt University announced last month that it will provide “a full-tuition scholarship for all households with income of $150K or less” through its Opportunity Vanderbilt program. The university noted that “households with income of less than $150K typically receive Opportunity Vanderbilt awards greater than full tuition to also support housing, food, and other expenses.” Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said: “We want everyone who has what it takes to get into Vanderbilt to be able to enroll, regardless of their financial background.”
America’s leading research universities provide excellent value to their students and are at the forefront of making high-quality education more affordable and accessible. Students at AAU universities receive 74% of their financial aid from their institutions and have far lower default rates than the national average.