Our weekly bulletin collects and digests news of the past week. Contributions welcome.
This news bulletin was compiled by ASIU members Emma Broach and Elena Krueper. General questions or concerns about CSIU? Contact Michael Hamburger at hamburg@iu.edu.
GLOBAL NEWS
U.S. college is first to decline federal science grants because of new DEI language
Science | June 06, 2025 Read More
Williams College, a private institution, announced it will refuse any new federal science grants that include recently introduced diversity, equity and inclusion requirements. This resistance marks the first institution to formally object to DEI language in funding solicitations.
Trump’s Proposed Budget Would Cut a Major Ecology Program
New York Times | May 31, 2025 Read More
Under the newly proposed federal budget, the US Geological Survey’s Ecosystems Mission Area — responsible for long-term biodiversity and habitat monitoring — would be eliminated. Experts warn that this action could threaten valuable data collection on species and ecosystem health.
National Academies Seeking Ways to Cut Red Tape in Research
AIP | June 05, 2025 Read More
At the White House’s request, the National Academies formed a committee to recommend cuts to research-related red tape, from grant paperwork to overlapping regulations. Chaired by OSTP deputy Lynne Parker, the group is gathering public input and aims to present its proposals quickly.
The White House Gutted Science Funding. Now It Wants to ‘Correct’ Research.
New York Times | June 03, 2025 Read More
A recent executive order mandates federal agencies to restore “gold standard” science—requiring full data transparency, rigorous reproducibility and unbiased peer review—while empowering political appointees to “correct” scientific research. Critics warn it centralizes ideological control over studies, enabling dismissal of findings that conflict with administration priorities and undermining independent inquiry.
Trump moves to slash NSF: why are the proposed budget cuts so big?
Nature | June 05, 2025 Read More
The proposed federal budget would slash the NSF’s funding by 57%, eliminate 99% of clean-energy research support, and shutter one of the two LIGO detectors. Researchers warn these cuts could undermine US leadership in basic science, hinder emerging fields like AI and quantum research, and jeopardize vital monitoring projects.
Trump’s proposed budget details drastic cuts to biomedical research and global health
Science | June 02, 2025 Read More
The new budget would slash NIH funding by 40% and halve the CDC budget, while cutting State Department global health programs by 62%. Observers warn these reductions threaten U.S. disease surveillance, pandemic preparedness and the future of clinical research.
How Trump Is Changing FEMA as Hurricane Season Begins
New York Times | June 05, 2025 Read More
The Trump administration dismissed FEMA’s acting director for resisting its agenda and installed a new leader who vowed to centralize control under DHS and impose greater cost-sharing with states. These changes signal a move to politicize disaster response, undermining FEMA’s independence just weeks before hurricane season
Carbon dioxide levels usually peak in May, but 2025’s reading was like no other
USA Today | June 05, 2025 Read More
Carbon dioxide levels measured at Hawaii’s Mauna Loa Observatory hit a new record high in May, continuing a steady upward trend driven by human activity. Scientists say the rise underscores the urgency of cutting fossil fuel emissions to avoid worsening climate impacts like extreme weather and ocean acidification.
UN Scientists Propose a Plan to Meet Global Demand for Critical Minerals
Inside Climate News | June 06, 2025 Read More
The demand for minerals like lithium, cobalt and nickel is set to double by 2030, leading UN scientists to propose a Global Minerals Trust as a shared planetary asset to stabilize supply and enforce environmental and social safeguards. This would pool reserves, coordinate investments and boost recycling to avoid shortages, reduce conflict risks, and limit new mining.
He Built an Airstrip on Protected Land. Now He’s in Line to Lead the Forest Service.
New York Times | June 03, 2025 Read More
An Idaho rancher and tech entrepreneur nominated to lead the U.S. Forest Service, who built a private airstrip and unauthorized cabin on protected Sawtooth National Recreation Area land, has sued both the agency and neighboring landowners. Given these legal battles, critics warn his confirmation would pose a serious conflict of interest and jeopardize stewardship of public lands.
White House proposes shutting down chemical safety agency
Washington Post | June 03, 2025 Read More
The White House budget proposal would eliminate the Chemical Safety Board by September 30, 2026, ending its independent investigations into major chemical accidents and halting its safety recommendations to regulations. Eliminating the CSB risks losing vital lessons from past disasters, increasing dangers for communities and workers near chemical facilities.
‘Another blow’: How Trump’s latest travel ban could harm research
Nature | June 05, 2025 Read More
The recent indefinite ban on citizens from a dozen countries threatens to disrupt infectious-disease research and international collaborations by barring scientists from outbreak regions. Coming amid earlier visa revocations for Chinese students, the policy could force universities to relocate programs and conferences abroad to maintain global partnerships.
Energy Dept. Cancels $3.7 Billion for New Technologies to Lower Emissions
New York Times | May 30, 2025 Read More
The Energy Department canceled $3.7 billion in awards for 24 clean-energy demonstration projects primarily focused on carbon capture and industrial decarbonization, citing fiscal efficiency as the rationale. Opponents argue that axing grants for technologies risks undermining U.S. competitiveness in the clean-energy sector.
Trump Hastens ‘Drumbeat’ of Deferred Coal Plant Retirements
Inside Climate News | June 06, 2025 Read More
While blocking the J.H. Campbell Complex retirement via a Federal Power Act emergency order, the Trump administration argued the coal plant was essential for grid reliability amid rising demand. Supported by grid operators, this deferral extends high-emission facilities’ lifespans, delaying planned carbon cuts and prioritizing fossil fuels over cleaner alternatives.
U.S. military trims access to its critical sea ice measurements
Science | June 06, 2025 Read More
The US military has restricted public access to satellite‐derived ice‐thickness and age measurements, placing critical Arctic sea‐ice data behind security controls. These new data gaps coincide with Arctic sea ice approaching near‐record lows, complicating independent climate monitoring and research.
A Court Debates Whether a Climate Lawsuit Threatens National Security
New York Times | May 30, 2025 Read More
The city of Charleston is suing major oil companies for allegedly misleading the public about climate risks that worsened coastal flooding, while the Trump administration asserts that such litigation threatens national security under a recent executive order. Federal lawyers have invoked that order to try to block these lawsuits, framing local efforts to hold polluters accountable as potential security risks.
Rapid snowmelt and Trump cuts compound wildfire fears in US west
The Guardian | June 05, 2025 Read More
Unusually rapid spring snowmelt across much of the western US, driven by record warmth, has left vast areas snow-free early and intensified drought and flood risks. Those climate pressures are compounded by Trump administration mandated budget cuts and staffing reductions at key agencies like the Forest Service, EPA and FEMA, leaving first responders stretched thin.
Coal and Gas Plants Were Closing. Then Trump Ordered Them to Keep Running.
New York Times | June 06, 2025 Read More
A newly declared “national energy emergency” allows the Trump administration to fast-track coal and gas plants under the Federal Power Act. While framed as essential for grid reliability and security, the move has the ability to sidestep environmental reviews, delay clean energy goals, and push extra costs onto consumers.
REGIONAL NEWS
U.S. Dept. of Energy cancels grants to decarbonize two Indiana manufacturing plants
WFYI | June 02, 2025 Read More
The U.S. Department of Energy has canceled grants intended to help decarbonize two major manufacturing plants in Indiana, citing financial risk and evolving project strategies. Supporters of the projects argue that the decision undermines progress toward lowering industrial emissions and weakens momentum for clean energy investment in U.S. manufacturing.
Cuts at the NSF decimate research team at IU
Indiana Public Media | May 30, 2025 Read More
NSF’s cancellation of nearly 1,400 grants—including a major education project at Indiana University—has halted research and displaced staff and students. The cuts, driven by new guidelines aimed at eliminating DEI language, wiped out $1 billion in funding and disrupted long-planned efforts to broaden participation in STEM.
United Steelworkers union raises concerns over Nippon-U.S. Steel deal
WFYI | May 28, 2025 Read More
The United Steelworkers union is raising alarms over the proposed Nippon Steel-U.S. Steel deal, warning that the merger could erode U.S. steelmaking capacity and threaten domestic jobs. The union also flagged Nippon’s history of trade-law violations and stressed that the deal poses national security risks that no mitigations could fully resolve.
Solar, battery storage surge in Indiana in 2024, first quarter of 2025
Indiana Public Media | June 03, 2025 Read More
Indiana ranked third in the nation for new solar installations in early 2025 and saw its battery storage capacity quadruple, primarily due to an AES Indiana facility in Pike County. These standalone batteries enable utilities to store inexpensive power and dispatch it as needed, boosting efficiency across the grid.
OPINION & ANALYSIS
In defense of silly science
Science | June 05, 2025 Read More
While seemingly impractical, curiosity-driven science has historically led to major breakthroughs, from Newton’s laws to foundational discoveries in physics and biology. Preserving and valuing this type of open-ended exploration is essential for future innovations and maintaining the creative spirit at the heart of scientific progress.
Is This the Beginning of the End of America’s National Parks?
New York Times | June 01, 2025 Read More
The newly proposed federal budget would cut over $1.2 billion from the National Park Service, eliminating about 40% of its operating funds and transferring smaller parks to state or tribal control. These cuts will sharply reduce staffing, maintenance, research, and visitor services across the park system, threatening the viability of the national parks in general.
I received a 30-month jail sentence for nonviolent resistance. Why so harsh? Because protest works
The Guardian | June 03, 2025 Read More
The harsh 30‑month prison sentence for a peaceful “Just Stop Oil” protester reflects a deliberate tactic to deter non‑violent climate resistance, as authorities recognize that civil disobedience can drive real societal change. This approach weaponizes the law to punish climate action and warn that it may suppress effective dissent by equating conscience‑driven protests with criminal disruption.
Strangling intellectual independence
Science | June 05, 2025 Read More
Proposed cuts to research funding, facilities, and workforce support indicate a broader shift away from valuing science as a public good. This trend undermines the independence of scientific institutions, restricts intellectual freedom, and endangers the long-term capacity of science to inform policy, drive innovation, and serve the public interest.
Trump’s War on Nature Is Up Against a Powerful New Resistance Movement
New York Times | May 30, 2025 Read More
The Trump administration’s rollback of environmental protections, including parts of the Clean Water Act, endangers rivers by prioritizing industrial and economic interests. In contrast, the growing rights of nature movement views rivers as living entities with inherent rights, offering a powerful counterforce to policies that treat ecosystems as expendable resources.
TAKE ACTION & RESOURCE FOR ACTIVISTS
Protect Science-Backed Policies: Call Congress Today
Union of Concerned Scientists | June 05, 2025 Read More
Call your member of Congress today and demand they reject budget proposals that gut science-backed climate action, nutrition assistance, and clean energy investments. Urge them to protect programs that benefit public health, the environment, and working families.
Our CSIU news bulletin is intended to provide a brief update on recent news, editorials, as well as action items related to science integrity and science policy. Note that editorial pieces and action items are assembled from a variety of sources and organizations; they do not necessarily reflect the opinions or policy priorities of Concerned Scientists @ IU. This week’s news bulletin was compiled and edited by ASIU members Emma Broach and Elena Krueper. If you’d like to volunteer—or if you have additional links you’d like to share for future bulletins, send them to hamburg@iu.edu.
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