Reposted by Matt HourihanHeidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 01/04/2026"It’s Official: China Tops U.S. in R&D Spending" by @matthourihan.bsky.social www.aau.edu/newsroom/lea... 185
Reposted by Matt HourihanShalin Jyotishi @shalinjyotishi.bsky.social · 27/08/2025FABBS is hiring a short-term Tech Policy Fellow to focus on behavioral science and AI (link below). Share with early career policy wonks @ilpfoundry.bsky.social @asa-scipol.bsky.social @scipolguy.bsky.social @abankston.bsky.social @matthourihan.bsky.social @snapcoalition.bsky.social #scipoljobs 178
Reposted by Matt HourihanShalin Jyotishi @shalinjyotishi.bsky.social · 23/05/2025🆕NSF cuts don't just gut universities. Join New America, the R&D Congressional Caucus, and the American Association of Community Colleges for a briefing around the value of the #NSF for the skilled technical #workforce and #communitycolleges. Register and share: forms.gle/LNaF6PptDr2u... #scipolforms.gleCapitol Hill Briefing: Not Just Universities: How NSF Funding Opens Community College Pathways to the Future of Work and the American DreamREGISTER TODAY: Date & Time: June 3 from noon-1 PM ET Location: Rayburn House Office Building 2168, 45 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20515 Hosted by: The R&D Congressional Caucus, New America a... 21514
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 23/05/2025The U.S. Government Accountability Office issued its first impoundment ruling yesterday. Possibly first of many as dozens of investigations are underway. www.politico.com/news/2025/05...politico.comTrump administration violated ‘impoundment’ law by freezing electric vehicle funding, GAO findsThe independent watchdog is conducting at least 39 investigations into whether the Trump administration violated the Impoundment Control Act. 142
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 22/05/2025Good deep dive in @nature.com. www.nature.com/articles/d41...nature.comAre groundbreaking science discoveries becoming harder to find?Researchers are arguing over whether ‘disruptive’ or ‘novel’ science is waning – and how to remedy the problem. 002
Reposted by Matt HourihanCasey Dreier @caseydreier.bsky.social · 20/05/2025Coverage of Senator Kelly's efforts. Use planet.ly/senateletter to encourage your Senators to join him. payloadspace.com/kelly-rallie...payloadspace.comKelly Rallies Senators for NASA Science FightSen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) is leading a letter asking appropriators to provide $9B for NASA’s science mission directorate. 0135
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 19/05/2025The MAGA revolution threatens America’s most innovative place economist.com/united-state... from The Economisteconomist.comThe MAGA revolution threatens America’s most innovative placeCuts to funding risk hobbling Boston’s science establishment 031
Reposted by Matt HourihanBill Bates @entanglement.bsky.social · 12/05/2025We don’t get the next mRNA vaccine or moon landing without risk. Short-term grants. Political landmines. Shrinking budgets. Big bets are disappearing—and so are possible breakthroughs. bistromathic.substack.com/p/the-case-f... #science #risk #innovation #NSF #NIH #research #blueskybistromathic.substack.comThe Case for FailureBudget cuts threaten scientific breakthroughs at a time when we should be rewarding risk 021
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 12/05/2025Not great. arstechnica.com/science/2025...arstechnica.comEurope launches program to lure scientists away from the USEU will spend over $500 million to recruit researchers and scientists. 000
Reposted by Matt HourihanCongressman Bill Foster @repbillfoster.bsky.social · 09/05/2025NEWS: I just led 112 of my colleagues in demanding answers from the Trump Administration on their funding freeze of the National Science Foundation. Cutting off NSF funding threatens vital research, stalls innovation, and risks ceding global scientific leadership to China. 24590143
Reposted by Matt HourihanIssues in Science and Technology @issuesinst.bsky.social · 09/05/2025“Libraries are a trusted source. Let the books battle it out on the shelves. We have different perspectives, and you can choose.” Carla Hayden, who sat down with ISSUES last year, was fired from her position as leader of the Library of Congress yesterday. issues.org/interview-li... 0217
Reposted by Matt HourihanRob Denton @rddenton.bsky.social · 09/05/2025Called and spoke to real humans at each of my three representative's offices this morning (both local offices and in DC). Share your stories, your impact, your students' success, your discoveries, and your hope for the future. 13515
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 09/05/2025Banger essay on the importance of federally funded R&D to American entrepreneurship from David Singer of Maverick Ventures. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/28/o... 021
Reposted by Matt HourihanDr. David Miller 🏳️🌈 @davidimiller.bsky.social · 09/05/2025🚨 Breaking: NSF faces radical shake-up as officials abolish its 37 divisions 1️⃣ Removes/demotes division director leaders 2️⃣ Forced layoff notices to NSF staff going out tonight 3️⃣ More grant terminations expected tomorrow One glimmer of hope: the 8 directorates appear to be stayingscience.orgExclusive: NSF faces radical shake-up as officials abolish its 37 divisionsChanges seen as a response to presidential directives on what research to fund 88065
Reposted by Matt HourihanHolden Thorp @holdenthorp.bsky.social · 02/05/2025Enjoyed talking to @dkthomp.bsky.social about the crisis in American science. Glad to have him on our side in talking about how to protect American science in the future. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/p...podcasts.apple.comMegapod: The Crisis in American SciencePodcast Episode · Plain English with Derek Thompson · 05/02/2025 · 2h 6m 23110
Reposted by Matt HourihanDr. David Miller 🏳️🌈 @davidimiller.bsky.social · 06/05/2025🧪 BOOM: The AAU, ACE, APLU, and 13 universities just filed suit today against NSF for slashing to 15% indirect rates. Full compliant: www.aau.edu/sites/defaul... Updates: www.aau.edu/resources-aa... A similar group of plaintiffs won a *permanent* injunction against a similar change at NIH.media.tenor.comtwo little girls are dancing on a stage and one of them is telling the other to tell her .Alt: Wwo little girls are dancing on a stage and one of them is telling the other to tell her. 325988
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 04/05/2025Excellent news. www.bostonglobe.com/2025/05/03/b... 000
Reposted by Matt HourihanAlessandra Zimmermann @alesszimm.bsky.social · 02/05/2025With the release of the skinny Presidential Budget Request, the FY 2026 season officially kicks off and the dashboard goes live! Because this is a -skinny- request not everything was mentioned, so we'll keep updating as more details roll out in the next weeks and months. www.aaas.org/news/fy-2026...aaas.orgFY 2026 R&D Appropriations Dashboard | American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 022
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 02/05/2025Skinny Budget Day! Another terrible budget for US science and innovation. While attention is on NSF and NIH, some brief notes on energy and space, which also matter for competitiveness. www.whitehouse.gov/omb/informat... 🧵whitehouse.govThe President’s FY 2026 Discretionary Budget Request 177
Reposted by Matt HourihanDavid Malakoff @davidmalakoff.bsky.social · 02/05/2025This from Jeffrey Mervis (@policyhound.bsky.social) on NSF budget request: Trump has proposed cutting NSF's budget by more than half, to $4B, in FY 2026. The math in his "skinny" budget request is hard to follow, so here's a quick analysis: 125
Reposted by Matt HourihanShalin Jyotishi @shalinjyotishi.bsky.social · 28/04/2025Thanks to @npr.org for interviewing me on Morning Edition about the danger of #DOGE's gutting the federal research enterprise. 🧵A note on reform: I can't think of a serious #scipol researcher who DOESN'T believe in reform. DOGE is not focused on reform or efficiency. one.npr.org?sharedMediaI...one.npr.org🔊 Listen Now: What happens when the federal government stops funding university researchMorning Edition on NPR One | 3:35 194
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 23/04/2025The Comptroller General, who runs GAO, plays an important role as an impartial auditor who holds the Executive Branch accountable. They are appointed by the President, with Senate confirmation, to a 15-year term. Guess when the current Comptroller General's term expires. 000
Reposted by Matt HourihanShalin Jyotishi @shalinjyotishi.bsky.social · 15/04/2025Today NSF eliminated all its advisory committees (except TIP) enacting Feb Trump EO @science.org @politico.com @kathrynpalmer.bsky.social @chronicle.com @kvasquez.bsky.social @scipolguy.bsky.social @techiewonk.bsky.social @policyhound.bsky.social @matthourihan.bsky.social @asa-scipol.bsky.social 0410
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 07/04/2025Important story amid everything else. | DOGE comes for the data wonks economist.com/united-state...economist.comDOGE comes for the data wonksAmerica may soon be unable to measure itself properly 000
Reposted by Matt HourihanKathryn Palmer @kathrynpalmer.bsky.social · 02/04/2025A new lawsuit argues that canceling billions in research grants will delay scientific advancements, compromise human health and even result in deaths.insidehighered.comResearchers, Higher Ed Union Fight NIH’s Grant TerminationsA new lawsuit argues that canceling billions in research grants will delay scientific advancements, compromise human health and even result in deaths. 084
Reposted by Matt HourihanDaniel Clery @danclery.bsky.social · 02/04/2025“People are coming to realize the stellarator maybe is the way to go” - Chris Hegna, Type One Energy 🧪 @science.org www.science.org/content/arti...science.orgStellarators, once fusion’s dark horse, hit their strideMultiple companies aim to generate power by corraling plasma with twisted magnets 144
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 02/04/2025Great reporting on the enormous value of science to the nation. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/31/b... 010
Reposted by Matt HourihanTim Clancy @viewfromarchstreet.com · 28/03/2025House passes legislation that would lower gift reporting thresholds for universities and require waivers for contracts with “countries of concern.” ww2.aip.org/fyi/house-pa...ww2.aip.orgHouse Passes Bill to Tighten University Reporting Requirements for Foreign GiftsThe DETERRENT Act would lower gift reporting thresholds and require waivers for contracts with “countries of concern.” 001
Reposted by Matt HourihanMax Kozlov @maxkozlov.bsky.social · 28/03/2025NIH, which began this week terminating projects studying long COVID, has reinstated the grants, after pressure from Sen. Todd Young's (R-IN) office, an HHS source tells me. Young had secured a commitment from RFK Jr that he'd continue funding long COVID research. Story by @thesicktimes.bsky.socialthesicktimes.orgUPDATE: RECOVER Long COVID pathobiology grants restored - The Sick TimesLong COVID research grants from the National Institutes of Health’s RECOVER program will be restored following news stories about their abrupt cancellations and advocacy to restore the funding, accord... 617145
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 14/03/2025Very good deep dive from the Post-Gazette into what layoffs have meant at the National Energy Technology Lab (NETL) - the only DOE lab operated by government (whereas others are contractor-operated). www.post-gazette.com/business/pow...post-gazette.comThe national lab in Pittsburgh's backyard is a place for innovation — and worryThe National Energy Technology Laboratory in South Park, a century-old institution, is at once a pillar of federal fossil fuel research and a shape shifter,... 010
Reposted by Matt HourihanAnnika Barber @annikabarber.bsky.social · 24/02/2025Wondering if your study section cancelled? I update this sheet daily. As of today, 56/124 study sections that should have met since Jan 2, 2025 have "not met as scheduled." docs.google.com/spreadsheets...docs.google.com2025 Study section tracking 44365287
Reposted by Matt HourihanDr. Stephen Bieda III @drwildcatwx.bsky.social · 28/02/2025“My weather app does it better!” -Weather Watches/Warnings? NWS -Forecast data? NWS -Observations? NWS -Satellite? NOAA/NESDIS -Futurecast modeling data? You guessed it, NWS (via EMC). -Climatology data? The weather data compiled over a long period by techs. -Outlooks? NWS Food for thought. 💭 18455122
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 07/02/2025Pleased to join several science and tech organizations in the Accelerate Science Now campaign launching today, to support policy for AI tools to drive scientific discovery. www.seedai.org/media/asn-la... acceleratesciencenow.comseedai.org“Accelerate Science Now” Launches to Make Science Deliver Faster for Americans | SeedAIFacilitating community-focused AI resources across the country. We meet people where they are to enable the next wave of transformative technology by a representative, new, diverse generation of the A... 022
Reposted by Matt HourihanBWJones @bwjones.bsky.social · 10/01/2025The serial continuing resolutions from Congress are a slow death for science. NIH has to function not knowing what their budget is. So they delay funding decisions, or issue grants with reduced budgets. DoD research is also impacted as they cannot release new funding under continuing resolutions. 2329
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 03/01/2025Great item from @science.org @policyhound.bsky.social on Jimmy Carter's legacy in the Department of Energy research enterprise. www.science.org/content/arti...science.orgJohn Deutch recalls how Jimmy Carter left his mark on energy researchLongtime MIT professor served as the first director of research in the Department of Energy 062
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 02/01/2025The new House rules package includes a continuation of the Select CCP Committee in the 119th Congress. docs.house.gov/floor/ 000
Reposted by Matt HourihanAdriana Bankston @abankston.bsky.social · 26/12/2024Looking to build a community of folks working to improve and advance scientific #research, #innovation and #STEMworkforce development. #competitiveness #policy @chrispickett5.bsky.social @ubadahsabbagh.com @scipolguy.bsky.social @matthourihan.bsky.social @jpflores.bsky.social go.bsky.app/FQk37Ba 97928
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 20/12/2024Maybe it's a Catholic school thing but it seriously never occurred to me until I was an adult that faith and science couldn't comfortably coexist. 130
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 20/12/2024One aspect of a prospective shutdown I haven't seen mentioned elsewhere: it has already been a slow transition at science agencies for the incoming Trump administration. Telling civil servants to go home, right when that process is ramping up, is not remotely helpful for a smooth transition. 020
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 05/12/2024Trump's new nominee for NASA Administrator, Jared Isaacman, offered a strong call for saving Chandra X-Ray Observatory in the face of proposed cuts. His letter to NASA as a private citizen: static1.squarespace.com/static/65ef9... More from @science.org @voosen.me: www.science.org/content/arti... 000
Reposted by Matt HourihanE. Richard Gold @richardgold.bsky.social · 05/12/2024Recommendations from the article: 063
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 05/12/2024Helpful review. It’s possible AI-enhanced science could ultimately boost US productivity overall. open.substack.com/pub/fasterpl...open.substack.com🧪 The US productivity problem that no one talks about (enough)Weak science-research productivity undermines business productivity and economic growth 000
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 04/12/2024Jeff Foust on Trump's new pick for NASA Administrator. spacenews.com/trump-select...spacenews.comTrump selects Isaacman to be NASA administratorPresident-elect Donald Trump has selected Jared Isaacman, a billionaire who has commanded two SpaceX commercial spaceflights, as his choice to be the next administrator of NASA. 000
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 01/12/2024I’m late to this but good, even-handed story from @science.org on Bhattacharya nomination. www.science.org/content/arti...science.orgControversial health economist is Trump’s pick to head NIHResearchers have mixed views on nomination of Jay Bhattacharya to head biomedical research agency 000
Reposted by Matt HourihanMatt Glassman @mattglassman312.bsky.social · 20/11/2024For all the talk about this & that & whatever with Trump, this is the real game/set/match for executive power: Musk/Varaswamy suggest a SCOTUS ruling that the Impoundment Act is unconstitutional and that POTUS can refuse to spend appropriations. 1/ 15267109
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 24/11/2024Great interview with new rep John Mannion from @policyhound.bsky.social. www.science.org/content/arti...science.orgElected to the House, veteran high school science teacher urges ‘evidence-based’ decision-makingDemocrat John Mannion flips New York district with plea for bipartisanship 000
Reposted by Matt HourihanHolden Thorp @holdenthorp.bsky.social · 21/11/2024AAAS would like to learn more about researchers’ experience with CC BY and other open licenses. What impacts have such licenses had on downstream uses of your research output? Scientists, please consider taking our short survey here: bit.ly/48iDDO7bit.lyAuthor awareness surveyTake this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free. 026
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 16/11/2024Great story in Science Mag on Majority Leader Thune's past efforts to support deep subsurface physics experiments in South Dakota. www.science.org/content/arti...science.orgWhen it comes to science, U.S. Senate’s new leader has a buried pastSenator John Thune helped convert an abandoned South Dakota gold mine into a deep underground laboratory 000
Matt Hourihan @matthourihan.bsky.social · 16/11/2024A lot to chew on in these results. Scientists still relatively trusted, but conflicting views on the role of scientists in policy deliberations and public values. www.pewresearch.org/science/2024...pewresearch.orgPublic Trust in Scientists and Views on Their Role in PolicymakingAmericans’ trust in scientists is slightly higher than it was last year, but remains lower than before the COVID-19 pandemic. 053