In labs, classrooms, and research centers across the United States, a quiet shift is underway. American scientists—long the backbone of global innovation—are considering taking their expertise overseas. This follows the Trump administration’s deep cuts to federal research agencies, science funding, including grants and contracts. The impact is evident at the National Science Foundation, which recently canceled over 1,000 active awards and whose prestigious Graduate Research Fellowship Program posted its lowest acceptance rate in 15 years.
Our European allies see this as the opportunity it is. The EU announced $556 million in new funding to “make Europe a magnet for researchers” over the next two years, The New York Times reported. NPR paints a similar picture: Academics, facing shrinking financial support in the U.S., are increasingly drawn to countries doubling down on their public investments in scientific inquiry and innovation.
President Donald Trump said in a recent White House letter that he wants America to lead in “critical and emerging technologies.” And for nearly a century, we have. But steep cuts to NSF, the Institute of Education Sciences, and other research and development agencies undermine this vision. These cuts trade long-term scientific leadership for short-term budget relief. For example, Dan Garisto, who writes for the journal Nature, found that roughly $322 million of NSF’s cancelled projects were in the STEM education division, which funds research on improving math and science teaching to grow the future U.S. science workforce.
Furthermore, the public supports those kinds of STEM-improvement programs. A recent poll by the Association of Science and Technology Centers found that 90% of Americans believe that federal investment in STEM education is essential for the nation’s future economic success. The poll also found that a bipartisan majority expressed concern that Trump’s cuts could prevent the U.S. from attracting and keeping top scientific talent.
Education R&D Depends On The Scientific Ecosystem
What makes the prospect of a scientific brain drain concerning to me and many in the scientific community isn’t just the loss of talent in research labs—it’s the ripple effect that could reach directly into the nation’s K-12 classrooms. Advances in neuroscience, behavioral science, and cognitive psychology are the foundation of many effective educational innovations, from AI-powered tutoring systems to evidence-based literacy instruction.
Consider the decision of many school districts to delay high school start times—a change inspired by research showing that teenagers’ sleep patterns shift later due to natural biological development. Another example is how learning platforms like Quizlet and Khan Academy incorporate behavioral science principles, like “nudging,” to help students stay motivated and engaged.
These breakthroughs didn’t happen in isolation. They came from a robust, well-funded pipeline of interdisciplinary research, and they’ve made real-world improvements in how students learn. But as NSF and the Education Department’s Institute of Education Sciences see their staff and budgets significantly downsized, the momentum behind such discoveries could slow—or stop entirely.
Instead of walking away, now is the time to invest. A coalition I lead recently set forth a framework for a “reimagined” federal R&D system that includes multidisciplinary research and innovation, pathways that have been supported by agencies like NSF. An approach such as this gives the nation a chance to strengthen its R&D ecosystem and ensure that researchers across disciplines can continue translating insights into tools and techniques that help all students succeed.
States Can Lead But They Need Strong Research Partners
The Trump administration has argued that more control should be returned to states, allowing governors and local boards to decide how education dollars are spent. This could include a bigger role for states to play in education R&D. That sounds promising, and states and their elected leaders hopefully are willing and able to step into the breach and drive improvements that will work best for their students.
However, that may also mean that U.S. state and local officials will need more, not fewer, education researchers who can help them test and prove what works and what doesn’t. Merely shifting the responsibility from the federal level to the states doesn’t really change the R&D braintrust needed to do the work. Nor does it eliminate the need for research infrastructure. It only makes that infrastructure more essential.
Science As The Foundation For Innovation
If the U.S. wants to remain a global leader in innovation, we must sustain the research ecosystem that fuels our progress. A strong evidence base in learning science is critical, not just for advancing knowledge but for empowering educators, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to create tools and strategies that meet the needs of today’s learners.
Cutting staff, grants, and contracts may appear fiscally responsible in the short term, but the longer-term risks are clear. The U.S. risks stalling discovery, exporting its talent, and missing opportunities to develop transformative solutions in education. But with the right investments and a renewed national commitment to science, the country can chart a different course—one that supports the next generation of researchers and ensures its students are prepared to lead in the decades to come.
