‘No way to invest in a career here': US academics flee overseas to avoid Trump crackdown
default
Eric Schuster was over the moon when he landed a lab assistant position in a coral reef biology lab at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography (SIO). The 23-year-old had recently graduated with a bachelor's degree in nanoengineering from the University of California, San Diego, into a fiercely competitive job market. He felt like he'd struck gold.
But the relentless cuts to scientific research and attacks on higher education by the Trump administration have turned what felt like a promising academic future into unstable ground.
'There are several labs, both at our institution and around the US, that have essentially just sent everyone home because they have no money,' Schuster said, expressing concern not just for oceanography but for all fields of scientific research. The multi-pronged attacks have 'been seriously detrimental to just about everyone', he said.
Though Schuster is grateful for his position, he is in a constant state of worry about whether it will still exist tomorrow. UCSD, which SIO is a part of, told the Guardian that the Trump administration has ended or frozen roughly $90m in grants from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. Nearly 200 other grants are facing delays. SIO researchers have noted that the 'vast majority' of their funding comes from the government.
Schuster has decided he's not going to stick around to see if he will lose his job.
He'll be starting his graduate studies this fall in France with a European University Networks (EUN) program, a transnational alliance of higher education institutions. He plans to stay outside of the US after to continue his career.
'It's a grab bag that anyone you're talking to has had decreased funding, or lost almost all of their funding, or is having trouble continuing their funding,' he says.
'That, along with the pretty pervasive and growing anti-science establishment narrative … have been strong motivators to look elsewhere,' Schuster said.
Schuster is one of many budding academics reflecting what could become a significant American brain drain, sending the brightest minds in the country to flee the US and take their scholarly endeavors elsewhere. Historically, the US has attracted top talent from around the world, but the moves by the Trump administration may have reversed these conditions in record time.
Research institutions are feeling the strain from funding cuts from some of the biggest grant-making bodies in the world. The National Science Foundation (NSF) funds about 25% of federally backed basic research at US universities, but Trump's proposed budget would cut over $5bn, or 57%, from its budget, chopping it from roughly $9bn down to $3.9bn. The US National Institutes of Health would lose about 40% of its budget compared to last year.
Related: US universities are moving to the right. Will it help them escape Trump's wrath?
But those cuts aren't the only cause for anxiety. Nerves throughout the scholarly community are also on edge given what is widely perceived as a historic attack on academic freedom through administration assaults against universities such Columbia and Harvard University under the guise of rooting out antisemitism and diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Dozens more universities are waiting for their turn.
A recent Nature survey revealed that approximately 75% of US-based scientists are contemplating relocation, with early-career researchers and PhD students particularly inclined toward opportunities in Canada, Europe and Australia.
Valerio Francioni is one of them. A 32-year-old Italian citizen who moved to the US after getting his PhD at the University of Edinburgh, Francioni is now a postdoctoral research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology studying neuroscience.
International students have faced nonstop chaos in the past few months, from visa suspensions to the attempted deportations of several students who expressed support for Palestinians. Last month, the Trump administration ordered US embassies worldwide to immediately stop scheduling visa interviews for foreign students as it prepares to implement comprehensive 'social media screenings' for all international applicants.
'As an international, there's just no way that you can invest safely into a career here right now, there's just no way to plan ahead. The situation is just too volatile to feel that you're making a safe investment by being here,' Francioni said.
A recent report from the Economist suggests that international students (and some domestic) are losing interest in American PhD programs. Searches for US PhD programs on the website FindAPhD fell 40% year on year in April, while interest from students in Europe has fallen by 50%. Data from another website, Studyportals, shows a decrease in interest for domestic PhDs among Americans, and a rise in interest for international programs compared to the previous year.
I don't want to live in a country that does not abide by the laws that they have set in stone ... It has deeply troubled me
Carter Freshour, Thunderbird School of Global Management
Though his own visa has not been affected yet, Francioni plans to leave the US once his run at MIT is finished. He had wanted to stay in Boston – it's a great place for people in the neurotech field, he says, and his American partner is there. But his calculus has changed in the past few months.
Kristina, originally from Sweden, is grappling with the same questions. A mathematics professor at a university in the north-east US, Kristina requested that only her first name be used and her institution not be named over concerns of retaliation by the Trump administration.
'Right now, I think that everyone who's not a citizen feels that we cannot express our opinions,' Kristina said.
She's been in the US for 25 years, but does not have US citizenship. She is now debating whether to stay or leave. To her, the question is a moral one, whether to leave for safety or stay to 'fight for a more democratic future'.
Emmanuel Guerisoli, a French and Italian academic with a PhD in sociology and history, moved to the US in 2010 to pursue a masters in sociology. He is now finishing a postdoc at the Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility at the New School.
Guerisoli is concerned about being targeted by Ice because of discussions he has led in class on the war in Gaza. He was offered a tenure-track position at a different institution, he said, but it was quickly rescinded, which he was told was due to the Trump administration's funding cuts.
He gave up on applying to academic jobs in the US and decided to move to Argentina this summer, where the dread of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agents knocking down his door will not follow him every day.
'It's not just that you're being questioned on your political beliefs, but any type of critical or academic engagement on certain topics that go beyond the realm of just politics are being targeted,' he said.
'Even if the state department renews my visa, I would be concerned about teaching courses the way I have done it in the past,' he said.
Scholars at Risk, which assists academics facing political pressure, saw this coming.
'The recent policies have created a tremendous amount of anxiety,' Robert Quinn, the group's executive director, said. He worries the loss will have ripple effects far beyond campus.
'When a big economic contributor gets disrupted, that's going to begin to affect everybody relatively quickly in those communities,' Quinn said. 'Beyond that is the effect on public health. If we look at the cutting of the research pipeline, that means fundamentally cutting off access to services and medicines and treatments that affect every American who happens to get sick.'
Related: Why Trump is really going after Harvard
Quinn says that Scholars at Risk is working on ways to support US academics exploring foreign opportunities.
Several other countries are jumping in to fill the void, and have already begun courting American academics.
The European Union has pledged €500m (around $556m) over the next two years to become a prime destination for displaced scientists. France's president, Emmanuel Macron, announced $113m for a national program to bring in American researchers, and Aix-Marseille University separately announced Safe Place for Science, a three-year, $16.8m program to attract 15 American scientists working in climate, health and astrophysics.
A university spokesperson previously told the Guardian that more than 60 applications have been received, 30 of them coming within the first 24 hours.
Meanwhile, Denmark is fast-tracking 200 positions for American researchers. In a widely shared Instagram post, the head of the Danish chamber of commerce directly invited American scientists to consider Denmark, 'a place where facts still matter'.
Related: 'Insidious fear' fills universities as Trump escalates conflict during commencement season
Sweden's education minister held a roundtable of university leaders to strategize on attracting frustrated US talent, and publicly called for American scientists to relocate.
Canadian institutions are following a similar path. The University Health Network in Toronto and associated foundations are investing CA$30m ($21.5m) to bring in 100 early-career scientists from the US and beyond. Meanwhile, the University of British Columbia reopened graduate applications in April specifically to accommodate interested US students.
Carter Freshour, a 22-year-old US citizen, had just begun his masters program in business at the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Arizona when Trump took office.
As soon as the attacks on higher education began, he dropped out of the program out of fear of the direction the country is heading. He is now in the process of moving to Madrid, where he will finish his business degree, and then plans to move to Portugal.
'I don't want to live in a country that does not abide by the laws that they have set in stone,' Freshour said. 'It has deeply troubled me, the direction that the United States is going.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Podcast Bro Theo Von Questions How 'America First' Trump Really Is Amid Potential Iran War
Popular podcast host Theo Von joined Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna (Calif.) Friday in taking a hard stance against potential U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict. Khanna appeared on Von's podcast 'This Past Weekend' to discuss several topics, from foreign affairs to AI. At one point in the segment, Khanna promoted the War Powers Resolution, a bipartisan bill he introduced with Republican Rep. Thomas Massie (Ky.) aimed at prohibiting U.S. armed forces from unauthorized hostilities in Iran. During his discussion with Von, Khanna noted several people in MAGA's base who have been vocal about the U.S. not going to war with Iran, including Tucker Carlson and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.). Von agreed with the two conservatives, stating, 'this is a horrible idea.' 'Yeah, people say, 'Well, you don't know a ton about the Middle East.' Like, that's fine. I don't want people I know, my friends, getting called up. I don't want the children of my friends getting called over to die,' Von said. 'I don't even understand how it's an option.' Von, who had Donald Trump on his podcast last year, helped the president reach younger male voters during the 2024 presidential election. Khanna remarked on the influence of Von's interview with Trump, stating the podcaster made the president 'the most human that I've actually seen him,' after the two opened up about the president's brother, alcoholism and cocaine. Last month, Von performed a controversial comedy act at a military base in Qatar before Trump addressed U.S. and Qatari troops. The podcast host has seemingly gotten closer to the Trump family, even having dinner with Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, after they attended his comedy show in Miami. Miami looked good on you @TheoVon ! Come back and visit us soon !😎 — Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) May 14, 2025 Now, however, Von is beginning to question the 'America First' claims that Trump made during his campaign. When Khanna asked Von if he knew anyone who was supporting the idea of the U.S. going to war with Iran, Von responded, 'Nobody.' I asked @TheoVon if he knows anyone who says we should go to war with Nobody. I feel like it was supposed to be America first. — Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) June 20, 2025 Von went on to tell Khanna that 'it feels like we are just working for Israel,' and that he believes a lot of Americans are beginning to feel 'disillusioned' by U.S. leaders. 'I felt like it was supposed to be America first, like, we're focusing on, like, 'What are we doing to get things back into America,' right? To like, increase like the purpose of being an American, to refill our hearts with blood and ... make us feel something again here, and make us be excited about being an American,' Von said. JD Vance Tells Theo Von Musk Made A 'Huge Mistake' Going After Trump Exclusive: Israel Seeks Swift Action On Iran, Sources Say, With A Split U.S. Administration Trump Says He Should've Gotten 5 Nobel Peace Prizes While Continuing To Weigh Iran Strikes
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
2 Biotech Stocks to Buy Before They Soar 84% and 240%, According to Certain Wall Street Analysts
These biotech companies have several catalysts ahead -- and in the past have soared on good news. They both offer innovative candidates that could result in game-changing treatments for patients. 10 stocks we like better than Viking Therapeutics › If you're looking to add growth to your portfolio, biotech stocks can be a great choice. Exciting research is happening in these companies' labs, and in some cases, game-changing treatment candidates are approaching important milestones or even going over the finish line. As an investor in these companies, you can benefit as they report positive clinical trial news, score a regulatory approval, or start generating product revenue. Wall Street considers two candidates extremely compelling right now, with forecasts for potential gains of more than 80% and 200% in the coming 12 months. One of these players is working in the high-growth area of weight loss drugs, and the other candidate showed its strengths by winning the world's first-ever approval of a product based on CRISPR gene editing. Let's check out these two biotech stocks to buy before they skyrocket. Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ: VKTX) soared early last year when it reported strong data from the phase 2 trial of its weight loss candidate, VK2735, but the stock has since given back those gains and is trading closer to the level it was at prior to that data announcement. Since, the company has continued to advance VK2735 in injectable form and a version in pill form, and demand for these sorts of drugs remains high -- these are two reasons to believe that Viking has the potential to take off again. And catalysts may be on the horizon. The drug works in a manner similar to Eli Lilly's blockbuster tirzepatide, sold under the names Mounjaro and Zepbound. These drugs interact with hormones involved in digestion and have helped people quickly and safely lose weight. Viking is beginning the phase 3 trial for injectable VK2735 in the second quarter and expects data from its phase 2 trial of the pill version in the second half. Any data announcements could result in big moves for the stock, as there is plenty of room for a new company to enter the weight loss drug market -- one forecast to approach $100 billion in a few years. Wall Street is optimistic about Viking's prospects, with the average price forecast predicting an increase of about 240% in the stock price from today's level. Of course, Viking depends heavily on the outcome of these trials, so some risk is involved -- but data have been strong, so growth investors may want to get in on Viking now to potentially post a big win later. CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CRSP) stock surged in the year leading up to a major milestone: its first product approval. But since last year's launch of Casgevy, a gene-editing treatment for blood disorders, the stock has been on the decline. Sometimes, investors buy a stock well before the company wins approval or launches a product, then lock in gains after the good news lands -- and I think this is what's happened here. But what this does is offer us a chance to get in at a very good price on a promising company that could deliver fantastic news down the road. Casgevy, as a gene-editing treatment, requires a longer time to roll out than a pill or injection, as it includes several steps that happen over a period of months. The company recently said new patient initiations should increase "significantly" this year -- so there's reason to be optimistic about revenue growth ahead. CRISPR Therapeutics also recently reported positive phase 1 data for a gene editing candidate addressing the problem of high cholesterol. And the company expects to report data soon from a phase 1 trial of a candidate targeting patients with elevated levels of lipoprotein(a) -- a risk factor for cardiovascular events. These could represent huge markets for CRISPR Therapeutics if the candidates reach the finish line, and in the meantime, any potential positive news could boost the stock. The company also expects other trial updates in candidates for oncology and autoimmune diseases this year -- so this biotech's calendar is full of possible catalysts. Wall Street's average price forecast calls for an 84% gain for CRISPR Therapeutics from today's price -- if all goes well in clinical trials and Casgevy starts to show revenue growth, now could represent a golden buying opportunity for growth investors. Before you buy stock in Viking Therapeutics, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Viking Therapeutics wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $664,089!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $881,731!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 994% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 172% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 9, 2025 Adria Cimino has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends CRISPR Therapeutics. The Motley Fool recommends Viking Therapeutics. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 2 Biotech Stocks to Buy Before They Soar 84% and 240%, According to Certain Wall Street Analysts was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Christina Bohannan makes third run for Iowa's 1st Congressional District
Jun. 21—History shows that just because a candidate makes multiple attempts to win an election doesn't mean they can't eventually pull through. U.S. Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks lost a number of times to Dave Loebsack before winning Iowa's 1st Congressional District seat in a close 2020 election. Now her past Democratic challenger, Christina Bohannan, is attempting the same thing for the 2026 election cycle, provided she is the favorite in the primary. On June 17, Bohannan announced her campaign to take on Miller-Meeks once again. In a press release, her campaign said Bohannan nearly defeated Miller-Meeks in 2024 — less than 800 votes decided the election — and that the Democrat "outworked, outraised and outmatched her." Bohannan said, "Mariannette Miller-Meeks has had three terms in Congress — three chances to do right by the people of Iowa. Instead, she has taken over $4 million from corporate special interests and done nothing but vote their way. And she has put partisan politics over Iowans again and again. From cutting billions of dollars from Medicaid in the Trump Administration's One Big Beautiful Bill, to siding with DOGE's cuts to Social Security and enabling unelected, unaccountable billionaires like Elon Musk, Bohannan said the Republican congresswoman has forgotten about her constituents. "It's time someone put Iowa first," Bohannan said. Bohannan went on to say Miller-Meeks needs to explain "why she keeps putting Washington special interests first." The Democratic challenger claimed Miller-Meeks supported Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill, repeatedly voted for cost-increasing tariffs and is a member of the DOGE Caucus. Bohannan previously worked as an engineer and taught at the University of Iowa College of Law for 20 years. She also worked as an elected legislator for the Iowa House, defeating a 20-year incumbent in District 85. Bohannan is running for Congress because she believes in a government that works for the people. In May, another Democrat announced he would be running for Iowa's 1st Congressional District. Bob Krause, a former legislator who also tried running for U.S. Senate, announced his campaign with the slogan "Flip The House With Krause." Krause said Miller-Meeks votes "like Trump's rubber stamp." Travis Terrell, a Democrat from Johnson County, also announced his bid for Iowa's 1st Congressional District race. His campaign page on Facebook notes he is a working-class, New Deal Democrat fighting for healthcare, fair wages and a government that serves other working-class people and not billionaires. In addition to Miller-Meeks likely running for the seat, fellow Republican and former primary challenger David Pautsch announced in February that he would also be running for the seat. Pautsch touts himself as a MAGA Republican. He has been critical of Miller-Meeks, saying she is not conservative enough.
