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Jeffrey Mervis

@policyhound.bsky.social
3.1K followers 13 following 140 posts

I'm a senior correspondent for Science, trying to explain to scientists how government works.

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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
New caucus on science will test if there's still room for bipartisanship in US Senate www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
ScienceAdviser:AIs start saying ‘weird’ things when left alone to chat
Today in Science and science: T. rex was a certified hottie, a new science caucus, and more
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
A deep dive into the memo that marks the end of how NSF has done business for 76 years www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
NSF memo implementing Trump’s ‘golden age’ of science unsettles researchers
New document emphasizes support for White House priorities over curiosity-driven ideas
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Major new NSF initiative seeks answers to Colorado River water crisis. But some experts say it's asking the wrong questions. www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
NSF initiative seeks tech fixes for Colorado River water crisis
$100 million program to ensure water for industry overlooks shortage’s root causes, critics say
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
What's it like inside the new NSF headquarters? Scroll down to logbook to find out why you're unlikely to find out. www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
ScienceAdviser: Sex reversal could land frogs in hot water
Today in Science and science: Digital twins aren’t ready for primetime, a new idea for treating jelly stings, and more
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
California voters will get two chances in the next 18 months to fund billions in research. But the state initiative on the November ballot has a lot of strings attached. www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
California to vote on spending $16 billion to boost research after Trump cuts
State initiatives this fall and in early 2028 will gauge voters’ appetite for science, but controversy has grown around one proposal
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
An existing NSF program allows graduate students to work for industry while earning their degree. So why does NSF think that a $47-million award to do the same thing--but on a smaller scale-- is a new idea? www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
NSF’s new plan to fund graduate students to work in industry covers familiar ground
Agency gives university-industry consortium $47 million to reinvent existing internship program
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
NSF slights the social sciences and STEM education in new solicitation for graduate research fellowships www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
NSF shrinks support for social sciences in prestigious graduate fellowship program
New solicitation excludes students in seven fields and science education
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
NSF is touting a dozen new solicitations announced this week as evidence that basic research still rules. But that's not what's really going on. www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Is NSF’s new call for research proposals good news? Scientists and staffers have doubts
The long-delayed 12 solicitations only cover some disciplines—and promise to give them much less money
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
Last week DOJ said 3 NSF STEM programs are unconstitutional and must end. But there's a lot more in that 12 August opinion, including hints of ways to improve diversity that might pass muster with the White House. www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Justice Department calls three NSF diversity programs unconstitutional
New ruling bars programs said to discriminate by race and sex, six others can continue if modified
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
Senate passage of its version of 2027 CR improves chances that Congress will eventually derail OMB's plan for sweeping changes in how federal government manages research dollars www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Senate votes to block rule giving White House more control over research
Language is part of bill to fund government until mid-December
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Trump's science advisor, Michael Kratsios, battled House Democrats to a draw over allegations of political interference at NSF at a hearing Wednesday. www.science.org/content/arti...
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Your reaction to the new White House vision for science probably depends on what you think about the past 18 months under Trump. Here's why www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
White House report calls for big changes to ‘calcified’ U.S. science system
In Congress today, Trump science adviser Michael Kratsios faced critics of the proposals
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
And here's the second story, about an important--but underreported--ruling by a federal judge knocking out the notorious clause the Trump administration has used to terminate grants that, after the fact, don't "effectuate agency priorities." www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
U.S. judge rejects Trump’s justification for terminating thousands of grants
States hail decision, but White House may try other ways to end funding
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Here the first of two news stories posting back-to-back. The Commerce Department's decision to ban "noise injection" for the 2030 census and numerous surveys is really about politics, not statistics. www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Scientists attack ban on adding ‘noise’ to U.S. census data and many surveys
Critics say Trump’s real goal is to sow doubts about 2030 census and add Republican seats in Congress
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
How diffrent is NSF's new policy that would prevent its grantees from collaborating with most Chinese research institutions and their scholars? Yesterday's House hearing provided an answer. view.aaas.sciencepubs.org?vawpToken=2E...
view.aaas.sciencepubs.org
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
New book offers warts-and-all look inside US academic science in hopes of winning over the public. www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
ScienceAdviser: Ancient DNA solves Medici murder mystery
Today in Science and science: Surviving on top of the world, ancient quasars, and more
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
NSF falls in line with OMB and congressional Republicans in choosing outright ban on Chinese collaborations as only way to avoid security risks www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
New NSF policy would ban almost all collaborations with Chinese scientists
Agency drops attempt to mitigate risk in favor of outright prohibition on working with most Chinese research institutions
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Should US academics X-out NSF's new XLabs initiative? Here are some key things to know about the $1.5 billion program. www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
NSF makes billion-dollar gamble on research with an economic payoff
New X-Labs initiative aims to develop breakthrough technologies—but academics aren’t sure they are welcome
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Neil Shubin chooses his words carefully, but the new NAS president would like the National Academies to be more forceful in advocating for science. www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Paleontologist Neil Shubin vows to keep National Academy of Sciences relevant
New NAS president discusses the future of the beleaguered institution and the precarious state of U.S. science under Trump
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
If someone doesn't like your research grant, the US government may soon be able to help them sue you. www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Provision buried in controversial U.S. rule change would help people legally challenge ‘woke’ federal research
White House asserts expanded authority to prosecute any wasteful spending “in the national interest”
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
Been wondering why NSF isn't spending most of its FY26 appropriation? A $1.5B tech initiative may be the reason. And big cuts to hundreds of research programs could be just the beginning of the bad news. www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Exclusive: NSF slashes research programs to support new tech initiative, insiders say
Unexpected shift in funds has meant sharp drop in grants this fiscal year
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
A new NBER paper shows how hard it would be to measure whether young US scientists are voting with their feet to protest Trump's policies--or simply unhappy with their career prospects. www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
ScienceAdviser: Are young scientists really leaving the United States?
Today in Science and science: Laser upgrade sharpens cryo-EM’s view, AIs’ knack for legal loopholes, and more
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
New evidence of how biomedical research has become more political under Trump: New executive order reclassifying civil service science jobs as political hits NIH hard www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
‘Weird and capricious’: Experts struggle to understand new list of political jobs at science agencies
NIH programs and leadership are hit especially hard, while other science agencies are barely mentioned
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
What Marcia McNutt didn't say in her State of Science farewell address this week at the National Academy of Sciences Sciencehttps://www.science.org/content/article/scienceadviser-octopus-mirror#scienceprudence
science.org
ScienceAdviser: The octopus in the mirror
Today in Science and science: Back to basics for string theory, Marcia McNutt says farewell, and more
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
Democrats on the House select committee on China move away from panel's stance opposing any research collaborations with China in letter protesting Trump's firing of the National Science Board www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Democrats on House China committee decry dismissal of National Science Board
Letter also blames Trump for letting China surpass United States in research spending
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
NSF uses staffing cuts to strip Inspector General's office of its ability to investigate research misconduct www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Exclusive: NSF watchdog unit is no longer investigating research misconduct
New policy hands universities the reins in probing allegations against faculty
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
What if essentially all research collaborations with China were banned? There's a new bill before Congress that would do exactly that www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Lawmakers propose banning all U.S.-Chinese research collaborations
Critics say bill would weaken U.S. science by cutting flows of ideas and talent
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
It's time "to inject" some science into Congress, says Jasmine Clark, whose primary election win in Georgia puts her on a glide path to the US House www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Meet the microbiologist and science advocate who’s headed to Congress
Jasmine Clark led a March for Science in 2017. She just won a Georgia primary for a safe Democratic House seat
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
The political calculus behind whether NSF director nominee Jim O'Neill will testify before Senate HELP committee www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Research groups want Senate to vet Trump’s nominee for NSF head
A hearing would air questions about James O’Neill’s qualifications to lead the agency
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
Microbiologist Jasmine Clark campaigned on her science background--and won. www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Microbiologist wins Georgia primary for U.S. House seat
Jasmine Clark is set to become the first Black congresswoman with a science Ph.D.
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Here's what the US National Science Board wanted to say about competing with China before its members were fired www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
In unreleased document, fired U.S. science board issues stark warning about keeping pace with China
The National Science Board urges robust response to China’s rise in cover letter to its biennial report on the global research enterprise
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
Researching while Chinese: The full story of what is happening to Chinese postdocs--and faculty members--at the University of Michigan and Indiana University www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Chinese postdocs in U.S. hit with a wave of prosecutions and deportations
The U.S. government has recently convicted multiple postdocs for improper shipments of biological materials. Some see a replay of the 2018 China Initiative
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 09/05/2026
USDA says it's simply due diligence, but Indiana U. plant biologist who's been locked out of his lab thinks the US government is punishing him. www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
After USDA request, Indiana plant biologist locked out of lab by school
Move comes after Roger Innes complained about the government’s prosecution of Chinese postdocs
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
"Panch" defends his former agency in debate over whether science is too conservative but says he won't comment on NSF's current leadership or the impact of Trump policies. www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
ScienceAdviser: Is the scientific enterprise too risk-averse?
Today in Science and science: Aggressive fish mellow out on shrooms, Solar System’s largest moon is unique to its core, and more
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
Shirley Meng, a leader in developing next-generation batteries, explains why Trump's opposition to her passion triggered her move from U Chicago to Singapore; www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Pushed by Trump policies, top U.S. battery scientist is moving to Singapore
Shirley Meng explains why her passion for decarbonizing the global economy required her to relocate
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
The FY27 budget process begins in earnest as a House panel proposes spending levels for NSF, NASA, NIST, and Census above Trump's request but below current budgets. www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
House spending panel bumps up Trump’s request for NSF and NASA
Draft bill is an early sign that Congress again thinks Trump has gone too far in cutting research
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
Trump removes a thorn in his side by firing all 24 members of the National Science Board, NSF's oversight body. www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Trump fires NSF's oversight board
Dismissal of the National Science Board is widely seen as latest move to erase NSF’s independence
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
Is the GRFP at NSF back on track, or is this year's record class of graduate fellows only a temporary return to normal?https://www.science.org/content/article/nsf-names-record-number-graduate-fellows-rebounding-2025-dip
science.org
NSF names record number of graduate fellows, rebounding from 2025 dip
Distribution by field is also closer to the norm than last year’s class
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
Trump requests the long-awaited successor to the NB Palmer. But $900 million isn't enough for an Antarctic research icebreaker. www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Trump seeks to jump-start long-planned Antarctic research icebreaker
White House’s 2027 budget request includes $900 million for NSF to upgrade U.S. academic fleet
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 16/03/2026
Wondering why NIH and NSF aren't making new grants? We explain what's happening at OMB. www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Analysis: Why the research money isn’t flowing from NSF and NIH
White House review of agency spending plans for this year is causing delays
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
NSF leaders have just acknowledged what many scientists have long suspected: Presidential directives to boost AI and quantum have upended its traditional way of doing business. www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
NSF officials break silence on how AI and quantum now drive agency grantmaking
Leaders acknowledge White House role in controversial moves
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
How the Trump administration blew up the upcoming one-and-only field test of the 2030 census www.science.org/content/arti...
science.org
Controversial citizenship question added to upcoming census test
Researchers worry question plus other changes will reduce accuracy and boost costs of 2030 count
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 20/02/2026
Is Jim O'Neill a good fit for NSF?https://www.science.org/content/article/trump-s-nsf-pick-stranger-its-research-community
science.org
Trump’s NSF pick is a stranger to its research community
Jim O’Neill will need to build ties, say former agency leaders
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
Some have speculated that Trump won’t be upset if the Senate votes down O’Neill as the agency’s 16th director. If that happens, the agency could be facing an extended period of interim leaders. 7/7
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
Last fall NSF announced a major reorganization, with career federal employees replacing academics on leave from their institutions as heads of its eight research directorates and its chief management officer, Micah Cheatham, taking on a larger role. 6/7
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
An independent agency with a budget of nearly $9 billion, NSF has been led for the past 10 months by Panchanathan’s chief of staff, Brian Stone. During that time, it has lost 40% of its PhD-level staff of senior managers and program officers. 5/7
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
O'Neill earned a bachelor’s degree in humanities in 1990 from Yale University and was a senior administrator at HHS under President George W. Bush. After leaving government in 2008 he managed a hedge fund and venture capital firm, both led by Thiel, and was CEO of the Thiel Foundation. 5/7
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
NSF’s most recent director, Sethuraman Panchanathan, resigned in April 2025 a year before his 6-year term ended. “I’ve done all I can,” he said at the time. Winning Senate confirmation could be a steep challenge for O’Neill, who lacks an advanced science degree and any research credentials. 4/7
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
One source who requested anonymity speculated that O’Neill was offered the NSF job as a consolation prize to placate Thiel, an influential Trump supporter. Another Thiel protégé, Michael Kratsios, is Trump’s science advisor, giving him a voice in the selection of the NSF director. 3/7
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Jeffrey Mervis @policyhound.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
The reported nominee, Jim O’Neill, lost two jobs last week, one as deputy secretary of HHS and the other as acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). According to media reports, NIH director Jay Bhattacharya, will also become acting CDC director. 2/7
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