The Climate and Global Change Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, essential for advancing climate research in the U.S., is facing a funding crisis leading to unpaid leaves for researchers and cancellation of new grants, exacerbated by administration budget cuts.
Funding Crisis Hits Notable Climate Science Fellowship Program
Funding Crisis Hits Notable Climate Science Fellowship Program
U.S. climate researchers face furloughs and funding uncertainties due to budget cuts in the NOAA fellowship program.
A troubling funding situation has recently impacted the U.S. Climate and Global Change Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). According to multiple recipients and internal communications reviewed, the program is experiencing delays in funding, resulting in furloughs for its researchers and the cancellation of a year of grants. This significant challenge reflects broader cuts to climate research funding introduced by the Trump administration.
Established in 1991, the fellowship program has been pivotal in supporting the careers of over 230 climate scientists, many of whom are now leading voices in the field of climate and atmospheric research. Lilian Dove, an oceanographer at Brown University and a recipient of the fellowship, expressed her concern about the implications of these cuts: "It would be a real shame for this program to go. They do a great job of funding basic science that improves our understanding of how the world works."
This year, following the selection process, none of the new fellows received offers as the funding outlook for NOAA remained unstable. The latest proposed budget from the Trump administration sought to eliminate all funding designated for NOAA's climate initiatives. As a result, ten existing researchers received furlough notices this past Monday and are expected to remain on unpaid leave until the end of September.
Dr. Dove highlighted how the disruption is impacting her research on the Southern Ocean's role in storing heat and carbon, which is critical to the climate. This funding delay not only hampers her work but also affects her collaboration with international researchers in various climate-related studies, such as wildfires, flooding, and sea-level rise. The interruption of their research efforts stands to isolate their projects at a moment when collective progress is crucial.
