Scientists conducting NSF-funded research in the field. The agency's grant freeze could impact similar future projects.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has abruptly canceled all grant review panels scheduled for this week, creating uncertainty in the research community as the agency scrambles to align its grantmaking process with new executive orders from the Trump administration. The move affects more than 60 review meetings and has left researchers questioning the future of their funding applications.

Impact on Research Community

"It's a considerable amount of effort," says Romi Burks, a biologist at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, who had prepared extensively for her role on an NSF panel. "It's extremely disappointing for it to be canceled for political reasons."

The disruption extends beyond just the panelists. The NSF, operating with a $9 billion budget, serves as a crucial funding source for universities and research institutions across the United States. The freeze threatens to delay support for various stakeholders, including tenured faculty, post-doctoral researchers, and graduate students who depend on these grants for their work and financial support.

Connection to DEI Initiatives

An aerial view of the National Institutes of Health campus

While the specific executive orders haven't been identified, researchers suspect the pause may be linked to the administration's recent targeting of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. NSF's grant review process traditionally evaluates applications on two key criteria: intellectual merit and broader impacts, with the latter often focusing on increasing participation of underrepresented groups in science.

Broader Pattern Emerging

This freeze isn't occurring in isolation. Last week, the National Institutes of Health - the world's largest public funder of biomedical research - also canceled its scientific meetings and study sections, which play a crucial role in determining research funding allocation. These concurrent actions have heightened anxiety and confusion throughout the U.S. research community.

Looking Ahead

In a statement to NPR, an NSF spokesperson indicated that all review panels will be rescheduled, though without specifying when. "This will allow the agency to make the best use of everyone's time and resources as we continue to develop guidance to ensure compliance with the recent executive orders," the spokesperson said.

The agency has additional review panels scheduled for next week but declined to confirm whether these would also face postponement. This uncertainty creates challenges for researchers who need to plan fieldwork, arrange collaborations, and maintain project timelines.

The immediate impact of these delays extends beyond just paperwork and scheduling. As Burks notes, "All of these things cannot happen until you have notification. It's already a long time to get grants reviewed, any more time is just an increasing burden."

For the scientific community, the freeze represents more than just a temporary setback - it signals potential shifts in how federal research funding might be allocated and evaluated in the future, raising questions about the long-term implications for scientific research in America.