Science policy this week: May 12, 2025

Huge shake-up of NSF begins as agency marks 75th anniversary

The National Science Foundation turned 75 on Saturday, but celebrations planned for this week have been marred by a turbulent
few months at the agency and breaking news of a major organizational shake-up. On Friday, NSF announced it had initiated a Reduction in Force (RIF) of executive positions across the agency and the elimination of its Division of Equity for Excellence in STEM. In an internal memo, viewed by FYI, NSF’s Chief Management Officer Micah Cheatham stated that the agency currently has space for 143 Senior Executive Service (SES) positions but has determined that just 59 are required going forward. The agency plans to reassign SES staff who do not retain their titles to new roles within NSF by June 30 and lay off those without “fallback rights.” All staff within the STEM equity division are subject to the RIF order, with around 15 to 30 employees thought to have been affected.

The memo also revealed major changes to hundreds of staff known as rotators — scientists who are temporarily employed by NSF for a few years at a time under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act in order to help the agency stay on the cutting edge of research. Over the next 30 days, NSF plans to move IPA rotators out of SES positions “into new, executive-level positions where they will retain program responsibility and authority but will no longer supervise federal employees.” NSF also plans to reduce its temporary workforce from 368 employees to a target of 70 employees. These positions will focus on “presidential priorities in artificial Intelligence, biotechnology, nuclear energy, quantum science, and translational science,” according to the memo.

These actions appear to be connected to broader plans to disband discipline-specific divisions at the agency and downsize the eight directorates, according to reporting
by Science. On social media, current and former NSF staff reacted with dismay at the restructuring of the agency and the elimination of the STEM equity division. NSF’s workers union, AFGE Local 3403, also issued a letter calling for the immediate resignation of Cheatham, arguing that his actions violate federal law because many functions of the equity division are required by statute and that he is “clearly more interested in appeasing the administration than in doing the work directed and funded by Congress.” In a statement
on the division termination, NSF said it “is mindful of its statutory program obligations and plans to take steps to ensure those continue.”

New batch of S&T nominees announced; DOE and USGS picks to testify

Within the past two weeks, President Donald Trump announced a wave of new nominees to take on top science and technology-related roles, including

Meanwhile, multiple nominees selected for roles in the Department of Energy and the U.S. Geological Survey will participate in Senate confirmation hearings this week. The Senate Armed Services Committee will meet
Tuesday to consider the nomination of Matthew Napoli to lead defense nuclear nonproliferation programs at NNSA. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will meet
Wednesday to consider the nominations of Ned Mamula to be USGS director, Conner Prochaska to be director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy, Tina Pierce to be chief financial officer at DOE, and Jonathan Brightbill to be general counsel at DOE.

Ideas for streamlining research regulations pitched to OMB

The Council on Governmental Relations, an association representing research institutions and universities, issued a list of 16 recommendations
last week outlining ways the government could streamline research regulations. Several priority recommendations identified by COGR focus on standardizing grant application and review procedures across agencies. Examples include creating a single grant application process to be used by all agencies as well as a single format for disclosing applicants’ educational background and funding sources.

COGR’s suggestions respond to a request for information
issued by the White House Office of Management and Budget in April. In a letter accompanying the recommendations, COGR President Matt Owens urged the Trump administration to gather feedback on any proposed actions to deregulate research, in line with the Administrative Procedures Act. He stated that recent actions by the administration have added “new duplicative and burdensome certification and financial reporting requirements for research grant recipients” that run counter to the administration’s stated goal of reducing regulations.

In related news, a National Academies committee
is currently producing a fast-track report that will suggest federal actions to improve regulatory efficiency and reduce administrative burdens in research. The committee is soliciting ideas through a short survey.

Also on our radar

• NSF advocates are marking the agency’s 75th anniversary
  with a series of events this week, including a reception
  and research showcase
  on Capitol Hill on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.
• Scientists will testify on NASA’s strategy for detecting and deflecting asteroids at a House Science Committee hearing
  on Thursday.
• A bill restricting
  Department of Homeland Security funding to U.S. universities with ties to “Chinese entities of concern” was passed by the House last week on a 266-153 vote,
  with 55 Democrats supporting. The American Council on Education has opposed
  the bill, which now moves to the Senate.
• A National Academies committee tasked with updating the guide “On Being a Scientist: Responsible Conduct in Research” — first published in 1989 — will hold its kickoff meeting
  on Tuesday featuring remarks by staff from the House Science Committee.
• David Gallagher will take over from Laurie Leshin as director
  of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, starting June 1. Gallagher was previously JPL’s associate director for strategic innovation.
• Physicist and engineer Stephen Winchell has been tapped to lead the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency starting May 19, DefenseScoop reports.