Ashley Dayer, a Virginia Tech professor, spent years chasing her dream of securing a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant.
Despite three failed applications and a shoestring budget, Dayer finally won funding to study how bird feeders impact wildlife and wellbeing.
However, her project was abruptly defunded after President Donald Trump’s administration cut NSF grants linked to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
Dayer described the funding loss as “shocking” and said her team was close to finalising important findings and analysis.
The cancellation affects hundreds of university researchers whose projects reportedly touched on DEI or misinformation, areas now banned from NSF support.
NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan defended agency priorities but resigned, stating he had done all he could for the organisation.
Projects investigating internet censorship, Indigenous climate research, and AI misinformation detection were also among the more than 380 grants terminated.
Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency claimed on X that $233 million in “wasteful DEI grants” had been cut.
Researchers like Dayer and her collaborators now face scrambling for alternative funding to save their projects and support student researchers.
The bird project had engaged over 20,000 Americans through Project Feederwatch, gathering vital data on bird populations and human mental health.
Although the grant mentioned “diversity” in relation to birds, it aimed to broaden participation among disabled and minority communities.
Experts warn these sudden cuts will damage science, education, and the next generation of researchers across the United States.
“It’s an outright attack on science,” Dayer said, voicing fears for the future of American scientific research.
Photo credit: Dr. Ashley Dayer – @DayerLab on X
