Trump comes for CSIRO on scientific research funding

But the fears of the science community prompted by the actions of the Trump administration – which wants to freeze billions of dollars in research funding – is leading key figures to call for a realignment of Australia’s scientific strategy.

“The narrative of partnering with those who share our values is no longer workable,” said Anna-Maria Arabia, CEO of the Australian Academy of Science.

“If you were running a business and a significant source of revenue was vulnerable, you would immediately assess your exposure risk.

“Australia must assess and manage risks, so we are not over-reliant on one strategic partner, and so we are poised and ready to face an uncertain future.”

Australian Nobel laureate Brian Schmidt, until last year Australian National University vice chancellor, said decades of declining government investment in research had made the country hugely reliant on the US.

“This is coming home to roost now,” he said. “When you make yourself beholden to your sugar daddy, and your sugar daddy says they want something else, you don’t have a choice.”

The Trump administration has launched what scientific journal Nature called “an unprecedented assault on science”, cancelling or freezing tens of billions of dollars of funding and instituting an “Orwellian” ban on research that might “promote gender ideology”.

As part of that effort, scientists around the world receiving US research funding have received surveys asking whether their studies contain “DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) elements”, are related to the climate crisis, and whether they “defend against gender ideology”.

Some US researchers who have answered the questionnaire have had their funding reinstated, while others who refused were warned in a letter from the White House it was “a waste of taxpayer dollars that does not improve the day-to-day lives of those we serve” to continue funding such projects.

The Australian Academy of Science has been calling for an urgent response from the federal government, including an emergency meeting of the National Science and Technology Council.

Government research funding as a percentage of GDP has been declining steadily since 2009, making Australia increasingly reliant on overseas funding.

“It’s an illusion to think we can rely on other people’s research or their research funding. If we want the benefits of being a knowledge economy, we have to make grown-up decisions,” said Professor Merlin Crossley, deputy vice chancellor of academic quality at the University of NSW.

America also plays a key role in the global development of the flu vaccine, contributing virus surveillance and genetic material to allow researchers to keep the jab up to date.

“We know it’s potentially under threat. If we can’t monitor it through the systems we’ve set up in America, maybe we need to monitor it through other mechanisms,” said Dr Rod Pearce, chair of the Immunisation Coalition.

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On Monday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese batted aside a question about the survey: “My focus is on what happens here in Australia, and what happens in tomorrow’s budget.”

Opposition spokeswoman for science Claire Chandler said the government must “explain what information it has about the Trump administration’s request and what guidance it intends to provide to survey recipients”.

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