Science in the United States is under threat — not because we lack talent or ideas, but because our systems that sustain discovery are unraveling.
More than 1,000 research grants have been canceled by the National Science Foundation. The National Institutes of Health faces a staggering $4 billion proposed budget cut. Meanwhile, new federal caps on indirect cost rates make it harder for institutions to maintain the infrastructure upon which research depends.
These policy shifts are sending shockwaves through the scientific community — especially for early-career researchers.
I work with many young scientists through the postdoctoral program I lead. They have trained for years, often across disciplines and institutions. They are ready to ask bold questions about the most urgent challenges we face: how to power the world sustainably, harness AI for good, and unlock the secrets of life and the universe.
But many are now in limbo. I have spoken with researchers who are uncertain whether they will have jobs or labs next month. Some are even considering leaving science altogether, or pursuing their careers abroad.
In 2023 and 2024, according to internal data from Schmidt Sciences, 87 percent of the most promising early-career scientists funded through our program chose to conduct their postdoctoral research in the U.S., despite having the freedom to work anywhere in the world. But, among the 2025 cohort, only 67 percent of those who have confirmed placements are choosing to do their research in U.S.-based laboratories. Although some are still finalizing their plans, the direction is clear: the U.S. is becoming a less certain destination for top scientific talent. That’s why efforts to support science here are more critical than ever.
To advance science, we must invest in exceptional talent and build strong communities that connect scientists beyond traditional boundaries. Philanthropy cannot replace the critical role of federal investment. It can, however, serve as a bridge between this moment of uncertainty and a future of scientific impact.
Nonprofits have the power to help promising scientists continue their work and change the current outlook with flexible funding and interdisciplinary opportunities, encouraging them to take risks, pursue big ideas, and collaborate across fields.
For me, this work is personal. I didn’t grow up with a microscope in hand, but I did grow up watching someone I love suffer from a condition no one could explain. That is what ultimately led me to science.
When my uncle was a child, he had a series of strokes caused by a rare genetic disorder that left him blind and permanently changed, both physically and mentally. As an adult, he continues to fight to live his best life with 24/7 support.
Watching him struggle, I looked to the adults around me for answers. My grandfather, an engineer who helped build the first robotic arm, encouraged me to turn to science instead. So, I did. I took every biology, neuroscience and psychology class I could find. Science became more than just an academic pursuit — it became a source of hope. Hope for my uncle. Hope for a healthier world.
I became a neuroscientist and clinical psychologist to better understand what had happened to him. At first, I hoped to help him directly. Later, I committed to helping others by studying how the brain and mind work. That belief in science’s power to improve lives led me, seven years ago, to join Eric and Wendy Schmidt in leading the Schmidt Science Fellows program, supporting the scientists who are working on challenges far beyond any one diagnosis or disease.
Eventually, researchers discovered that my uncle’s condition, homocystinuria, could be mitigated with something as simple as B vitamins. Today, thanks to that discovery, most babies born in the U.S. are now screened for it — an intervention that not only saves lives but prevents lifelong disabilities and saves millions in healthcare and support costs.
Science does not just happen in labs or academic journals. It shapes our health, our economy, our security and our way of life. From the robotic arm my grandfather helped build to the screening tests that could have changed my uncle’s future, science is personal. And it’s worth fighting for.
That is why I am urging Americans to stay engaged. Sign the Citizens for Science Pledge. Support institutions and organizations that champion discovery. Advocate for sustained investment in research. And above all, keep believing in the power of science.
Somewhere, right now, a young scientist has a breakthrough in the making that could save your family from a debilitating health condition. Let’s make sure that scientist, and you, get that chance.
Megan Kenna, Ph.D., DPhil, is a neuroscientist, clinical psychologist, and the founding executive director of Schmidt Science Fellows.