Some postdoctoral researchers are facing serious financial struggles due to a funding freeze from the National Science Foundation (NSF). One biologist sent a message to his landlord explaining that his rent would be late. Another researcher was concerned about missing a credit card payment, while a third was unsure how long he could keep up with his mortgage.
This situation arose from an order by the Trump administration to halt federal funding. Although a judge intervened to block the freeze before it took effect, and the administration retracted the order afterward, confusion remained. The NSF’s payment system was still down, leaving many researchers in a tough spot. An internal email indicated that salary payments had been paused to review which projects were eligible for funding.
One biologist in the southeast, who asked to remain anonymous, expressed fear about losing his home if the funding freeze continued. He had enough savings to get by until March but was in the dark about how long the delays could last.
Similarly, Bolton Howes, a geologist studying ancient climate changes, found himself reaching out to his landlord after discovering that his pay had not come through. He had a small emergency fund but was hesitant to use it, fearing unexpected costs like car repairs or medical emergencies. “If I were to get sick, it would be a disaster,” he said, noting that while he could manage to eat because of his credit card, he was worried about accumulating debt if the situation didn’t improve.
According to Michael England, a media officer at the NSF, the agency’s priority is to resume funding and services to researchers. The NSF needs to ensure compliance with existing executive orders, which complicates matters and delays payments.
Julia Van Etten, another NSF fellow, described the uncertainty. “We could be paid today or not for six months,” she said. Many postdocs are fresh out of their Ph.D. programs, living paycheck to paycheck. Even a week’s delay can mean a lot financially. Van Etten had planned to pay off a credit card bill but now faces accumulating debt if her payment doesn’t come through soon.
Postdoctoral positions funded by the NSF offer a unique payment structure. Researchers can withdraw their yearly salary upfront but are advised to take it in monthly payments. This practice means some postdocs find themselves with different financial cushions. When the funding freeze was first mentioned, anxious researchers scrambled to submit payment requests before the deadline, hoping to secure some stability.
However, just before the freeze was set to begin, an NSF official informed grant recipients that their payment processing would be paused. Subsequent emails confirmed that all payment requests made before the freeze were canceled, and researchers would have to resubmit when the system was back online.
This dilemma raises questions about how the NSF will determine which projects align with the new rules. Will funding be impacted by the recent executive orders related to diversity and inclusion? Postdocs are concerned not only about immediate paychecks but also about the potential impact on American science as a whole. Many fear a loss of talent and a slowdown in research progress if these funding issues persist.
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