What's happening to science careers in the U. S. right now?

Emma Scales had big dreams when she chose science as her path. Growing up near the coast in New Jersey, she loved the ocean and decided to study how tiny living things inside fungi can help food grow better. Now studying as a PhD student at Cornell University, she’s seen firsthand how research labs are shutting down because money from the government keeps disappearing. Since 2025, over 7, 800 grants have vanished, thousands of scientists lost their jobs, and in early 2026, the government proposed cutting $32 billion from science budgets. Even though Cornell got its funding back, the damage was already done, and the situation is far from safe. Scales isn’t alone. Thousands of young researchers are unsure about their future. With programs disappearing and job prospects uncertain, some are thinking about leaving the U. S. or even quitting science altogether. But Scales isn’t backing down. She’s working with other graduate students to speak up for science, calling out how critical decisions are erasing years of important work. “Without scientists now, the damage will last for decades, ” she says. Others, like Julia Menzel, a science historian studying early-career researchers, wonder if today’s cuts could mean losing a whole generation of scientists. That, she warns, would have serious consequences for everyone. This isn’t the first time U. S. science has faced big problems. Looking back, there are striking parallels between now and the 1970s when Richard Nixon was president. He also cut research money, doubted scientists, and blamed research for wasting time and money. Nixon even shut down key science advisory groups and shifted funding away from universities. Sound familiar? Researchers back then fought back and rebuilt support over time. The question is, will history repeat itself, or will things get worse before they improve?There’s no doubt that science has huge benefits. Every dollar spent on medical research returns nearly three dollars in new economic growth. Yet, funding decisions often depend more on politics than facts. Administrations swing back and forth, cutting or restoring science money based on who’s in charge. Even during good times, research faces challenges. After World War II, science funding boomed because the government saw research as a way to stay ahead in war and technology. But when priorities changed—like during the Vietnam War—money dried up fast. Some programs were cut by over 20% in just a few years. Today, with inflation and budget battles, young researchers worry about the same thing happening again. The impact on science isn’t just about numbers on a budget sheet. In 1970, a bomb exploded on a university campus targeting a military research center. The blast killed a researcher and injured others, leaving a scar on how the public saw science. Now, harsh words from government leaders are making some Americans distrust science even more. Trust in government overall has been low for years, but scientists still earned respect. People believe experts keep the country’s best interests in mind. However, some politicians take advantage of resentment toward experts to push their own agendas, especially when advice conflicts with personal beliefs or hurts people’s lives, like during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some young scientists are trying to change that. Miles Arnett, a gut cell researcher in Philadelphia, is part of a group writing letters to local newspapers about why science matters. They want people to know that researchers aren’t just “otherworldly” people in labs—they live in the same communities and want to help solve real problems. Other scientists are considering moving abroad because they feel unsupported at home. Still, they hope their work can help rebuild trust and a stronger scientific future. “Maybe this crisis can force science to become more connected to people, ” Arnett says. But right now, none of them feel optimistic about it.