4 ms·
NSF grants are already hard enough to get as it is. A reduction of the budget to this extent would just make it a total waste of time to apply for NSF grants. I
by nneonneo 2y ago
NSF grants are already hard enough to get as it is. A reduction of the budget to this extent would just make it a total waste of time to apply for NSF grants. It would have the effect of pushing academics further towards industry funding - which might be the entire point.
Industry funding is incredibly selective, and many industry funders are basically looking to turn university researchers into extensions of their R&D divisions. This will be disastrous for the concept of academic freedom - and the ability for people to explore interesting problems that might not have immediate commercial impact.
- nxobject 2y agoConversely, you could equally argue that NSF spending on training graduate students, and on technology transfer, subsidies industry. I worry that this will lead to a vicious cycle of fewer grad students in the US, leading to less industry in the US, leading to fewer grad students in the US, etc...
- boxfire 2y agoMy story: it's a joke to be a grad student. Salary in 2012: $10,800 per year without housing.