Poll Finds That 75% of Scientists Are Thinking About Leaving the U.S. | More than 1,600 respondents reflected the chilling effect across research fields caused by the slashing of federal funding for universities and science agencies.
https://gizmodo.com/poll-finds-that-75-of-scientists-are-thinking-about-leaving-the-u-s-2000582743
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From the article: A Nature poll of more than 1,000 scientists revealed that 75% of them are considering leaving the United States due to the uncertainties caused by the Trump administration’s slashing of federal and university funding.
Since the second Trump term began, it has slashed research funding to universities and federal agencies purportedly in the name of efficiency, potentially hamstringing the country’s ability to move the needle on scientific discovery.
The recent poll indicates that the administration’s actions may also imperil the country’s standing as an oasis for scientists fleeing uncertain or outright hostile attitudes abroad—consider Nobel Prize winners Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, and Enrico Fermi, among many other scientists who flocked to the United States as fascist governments rose across Europe in the early 20th century. As the recent poll shows, the chilling effect may cause a brain drain as researchers across fields seek greener pastures elsewhere.
[According](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00938-y) to Nature, the numbers looking to leave were even higher among researchers early in their career, such as PhD students and postgraduate researchers. As the poll shows, 548 of 690 (79.4%) of postdocs are thinking about leaving, and 255 of 340 (75%) are weighing the decision. “Europe and Canada were among the top choices for relocation,” Nature says.
Maybe they were on a work visa. American scientists probably have a different spin.
Yea, I’m a cancer researcher, husband is a cancer doc, we are looking to leave as soon as possible.
There are plenty of other reasons to leave the US that are unrelated to funding, so the problem is likely worse than this study indicates.
Isn’t that what Reddit wants? Intelligent people and billionaires to leave the country.
There’s gonna be a yankee brain drain, smart countries should start planning to capitalise.
What is the breakdown of the respondents in terms of visa/citizenship.
Being closely tied to an R1 University in the US, I have not heard of nor seen anything resembling this poll.
Nor has the University been concerned about research dollars, which have already been allocated and delivered.
This, in my professional opinion is complete fantasy.
Those who think leaving is silly didn’t respond, this survey is so horribly biased.
If your really don’t wanna live in the US, then leave. I’d pay my tax dollars to help you leave.
Anecdotally, my partner and I have already moved from a red state to a blue one. When family is already a plane flight away, getting out of the country isn’t that much further.
That said, I do feel some obligation to stay and try to fight the good fight.
What’s that scene from “death of stalin” with the doctors…?
I *already* want to leave the US, and we haven’t even been taken over yet.
I’m not even a scientist! (But I do have a science degree)
I would be surprised if 2% left but if those far left were to leave I would be ok w that .