The recent developments in federal funding policies have created major uncertainty and disruption in the scientific community, and even more so at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Researchers are encountering difficulties due to a list of banned words that could put their work in jeopardy if they include language that the White House would consider problematic. President Donald Trump’s executive orders have contributed to this by rolling back diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. The policies in question have effects far beyond UCSD, affecting environmental and health research across the country.
Background on Federal Funding Freeze
The Trump administration initially implemented a freeze on federal grants, which was temporarily blocked by a federal court. Despite this, the uncertainty surrounding funding has persisted, affecting numerous research projects nationwide. This freeze has thrown environmental and health programs into disarray, with many projects at risk of cancellation or suspension.
Impact on UCSD Researchers
The UCSD scientists say they are experiencing what they describe as “stop and start chaos” due to the back-and-forth on federal funding policies. Researchers are concerned that their work will stop if it includes language that the White House deems problematic, such as “women,” “disability,” and “bias”.
List of Banned Words
A list of banned words circulating at the National Science Foundation includes terms such as “women,” “disability,” “bias,” “status,” “trauma,” “Black,” “Hispanic communities,” as well as “socioeconomic,” “ethnicity” and “systemic”. These words, however, need to be used to accurately describe social and health issues in scientific research.
Criticism of the Banned Words List
Rebecca Fielding-Miller, a UCSD public health scientist, has called the list “Orwellian,” saying it could hinder important research on public health. Without the ability to use these words, researchers are unable to articulate the effects of policies on certain communities.
Impacts on Public Health Research
Dr. Natasha Martin’s Perspective
Dr. Natasha Martin, a professor of infectious disease and global public health at UCSD, said the banned terms were vital to scientific accuracy. Her own research on the effects of fentanyl on HIV and Hepatitis C epidemics has been sidelined due to the inclusion of the word “gender.”
Scrubbing Diversity Language
Researchers at UCSD have been instructed to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion language from their websites. This order is representative of the Trump administration’s rollback of these initiatives.
Loss of Funding
Despite the reversal of the grant freeze, UCSD lost a significant USAID grant worth $35 million for reproductive health and nutrition. Other federal funding to the university remains uncertain, with UCSD receiving about $1 billion per year from the federal government.
Advocacy and Support
UCSD infectious disease researcher Dr. Davey Smith expressed a desire for more advocacy from campus leadership and congressional representatives. He hopes for a statement of support from leaders recognizing the worth of all researchers and the contributions they make.
Congressional Response
Congressman Scott Peters, whose district includes UCSD, did not respond to a request for comment, saying the congressman would not be available to speak at that time. Such delayed responses illustrate the lack of communication and support for affected researchers.
Long-Term Consequences
The long-term impact of these policies is likely to be severe, potentially leading researchers to leaving their positions or shift their focus. This may lead to brain drain and undermine the progress of critical research projects.
A Challenging Environment
The federal list of banned words and the associated funding policies have created a challenging environment for researchers at UCSD and beyond. This has a far-reaching impact on environmental and health research, and it is critical that we continue to advocate to restore this funding and ensure the continuation of vital scientific work.
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