The future of dozens of research projects at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is uncertain following the sudden rescission of federal funding, the Wisconsin State Journal reports. The university as of May 3 was ordered to stop work on three of its federally-funded projects and 10 more involving other organizations, and another 62 research grants have been terminated.
UW-Madison has appealed three of the terminations, and one appeal has already been denied. The cancellations reflect changing priorities in President Donald Trump’s second administration — some initiated by the Department of Government Efficiency and others by Trump’s own executive orders — seeking to curb diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and renewable energy technologies.
The changes are threatening research across numerous disciplines. Already promised federal funding and grants have been halted or suddenly reduced, although judges have ordered the restoration of some of the funding, and sweeping cuts have been made to reimbursements for indirect research costs.
The news comes as just last year UW-Madison reclaimed its sixth-place spot nationwide for research expenditures, and the latest cuts are now hindering plans to continue this growth.
