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1 week ago | 
physicsworld.com | Peter Gwynne
US president Trump sets out his budget request for 2026, which if passed, will see science hit like never before, as Peter Gwynne reports The administration of US president Donald Trump has proposed drastic cuts to science that would have severe consequence for physics and astronomy if passed by the US Congress. The proposal could involve the cancellation of one of the twin US-based gravitational-wave detectors as well as the axing of a proposed next-generation ground-based telescope and a...
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2 months ago | 
physicsworld.com | Peter Gwynne
Harvard University is suing the Trump administration over its plan to block up to $9bn of government research grants to the institution. The suit, filed in a federal court on 21 April, claims that the administration’s “attempt to coerce and control” Harvard violates the academic freedom protected by the first amendment of the US constitution.
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2 months ago | 
physicsworld.com | Peter Gwynne
The US administration is carrying out “a wholesale assault on US science” that could hold back research in the country for several decades. That is the warning from more than 1900 members of the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, who have signed an open letter condemning the policies introduced by Donald Trump since he took up office on 20 January.
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Mar 12, 2025 | 
physicsworld.com | Peter Gwynne
The administration of US president Donald Trump continues to introduce polices that strip the government’s support of US science, as Peter Gwynne reports Two months into Donald Trump’s second presidency and many parts of US science – across government, academia, and industry – continue to be hit hard by the new administration’s policies. Science-related government agencies are seeing budgets and staff cut, especially in programmes linked to climate change and diversity, equity and inclusion...
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Feb 12, 2025 | 
physicsworld.com | Peter Gwynne
Donald Trump’s second term as US President has begun with staff layoffs, slashed budgets, axed diversity programmes and cancelled conferences.
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Jan 15, 2025 | 
physicsworld.com | Peter Gwynne
Incoming US President Donald Trump has selected Silicon Valley executive Michael Kratsios as director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Kratsios will also serve as Trump’s science advisor, a position that, unlike the OSTP directorship, does not require approval by the US Senate.
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Jan 14, 2025 | 
physicsworld.com | Peter Gwynne
Lia Merminga has resigned as director of Fermilab – the US’s premier particle-physics lab. She stepped down yesterday after a turbulent year that saw staff layoffs, a change in the lab’s management contractor and accusations of a toxic atmosphere. Merminga is being replaced by Young-Kee Kim from the University of Chicago, who will serve as interim director until a permanent successor is found. Kim was previously Fermilab’s deputy director between 2006 and 2013.
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Jan 14, 2025 | 
iop.org | Peter Gwynne
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Dec 11, 2024 | 
physicsworld.com | Peter Gwynne
Before Donald Trump takes oath for a second term as US president on 20 January, the US scientific community is preparing for what the next four years may look like. Many already have a sense of trepidation given his track record from his first term in office. There are concerns, for example, about his nominations for cabinet and other key positions. Others are worried about the role that SpaceX boss Elon Musk will play as the head of a new “department of government efficiency”.
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Nov 19, 2024 | 
physicsworld.com | Peter Gwynne
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) has announced another round of staff layoffs. The move, which began in mid-November, involves about 325 people, representing 5% of the lab’s employees. It follows layoffs in February of about 530 JPL staff and 140 of the lab’s outside contractors. According to JPL director Laurie Leshin, the second reduction in employees is occurring “across technical, business and support areas of the laboratory”.
