The problem with scientists like Sabine is that she is working in an underfunded field of fundamental physics (phenomenological QGR) while (literally) on the ad

The problem with scientists like Sabine is that she is working in an underfunded field of fundamental physics (phenomenological QGR) while (literally) on the adjacent floor there is an overfunded field of physics, namely gravitational wave astrophysics, which is well connected to experimental physics, astronomy, all kind of branches. In the end, this probably boils down to the "big science, little science" problem: Donors give the money to a crowd of scientists who already aquired a lot of money. The point is that she is also a scientist and has to play the rules. She is not a professor at her institute but probably would like to be. There is definetly some envy between the lines.