Australian researchers say they are concerned about the future of scientific collaboration with the United States after its sudden withdrawal of funding for some of the country’s top universities.
JUANA SUMMERS, HOST:
Australian researchers say they are concerned about the future of scientific collaboration with the United States after the sudden withdrawal of U.S. funding for some of the country’s top universities. This comes as some Australian university researchers were sent surveys containing questions on diversity, U.S. gender policy and China. Kristina Kukolja reports.
KRISTINA KUKOLJA, BYLINE: Making headlines in Australia, this from Sky News.
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UNIDENTIFIED NEWS ANCHOR: The White House has cut funding to seven Australian universities after they were sent surveys to see if joint research projects aligned with Donald Trump’s agenda.
KUKOLJA: Australia’s government says some university researchers who collaborate with U.S. institutions have had U.S. government grants canceled or suspended since January. Federal Education Minister Jason Clare told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation the government believes it’s part of the U.S. foreign aid review and is seeking more information.
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JASON CLARE: And that’s why the Australian embassy is working with U.S. officials to get a better understanding about this issue.
KUKOLJA: The Australian National University in Canberra is the only university to publicly address the funding cuts. It says one of its researchers whose grant was canceled was told by the U.S. department funding their project was no longer in line with departmental priorities. The U.S., Australia’s biggest international research partner, contributed over $250 million to Australian universities last year. Australian Academy of Science Chief Executive Anna-Maria Arabia says the loss of collaboration will also hurt the U.S.
ANNA-MARIA ARABIA: So this is not a case of the U.S. gifting money to Australia where we benefit and there is no benefit to the United States. It is very much a reciprocal benefit between the two nations.
KUKOLJA: The U.S. action has shocked the Australian university sector after some researchers, like their colleagues in Canada and the European Union, were sent a survey from their U.S. partners or federal agencies, including USAID, the State and Agriculture departments. NPR has sought responses from both the Departments of State and Agriculture, and the State Department says all U.S. foreign assistance is currently undergoing a foreign assistance review following the executive order. The Agriculture Department has yet to reply. Anna-Maria Arabia from the Australian Academy of Science.
ARABIA: So there are questions that relate to diversity, equity and inclusion, alignment with policies to do with the Mexican border, interaction with communist countries. So they are political in nature around value systems. They’re religious in some cases.
KUKOLJA: NPR understands that some Australian researchers were told the survey is linked to a January memo instructing federal agencies to review U.S. financial assistance programs. The memo from the U.S. Office of Management and Budget states, financial assistance should be dedicated to advancing administration priorities and focusing taxpayer dollars to advance a stronger and safer America.
VICKI THOMSON: There’s kind of no rhyme or reason as to how these questionnaires are going out. It’s not particular disciplines, particular universities.
KUKOLJA: That’s Vicki Thomson, who heads the Group of Eight, a body representing Australia’s main research-intensive universities.
THOMSON: We don’t really have a sense of the consequences of answering the questions.
KUKOLJA: Thomson fears vital scientific research could be at risk.
THOMSON: We’re very worried that, you know, the canary in the coal mine is at the smaller end of projects – the 300,000 to maybe a couple of million – in a range of areas. We would not want to see that as it relates to clinical medicine, biomedical and vaccine development.
KUKOLJA: For NPR News, Kristina Kukolja in Melbourne, Australia.
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