NSF director resigns amid 55% budget cut, mass layoffs from Trump admin

The director did not state a reason for the resignation.

Apr 24, 2025 - 20:52

NSF director resigns amid 55% budget cut, mass layoffs from Trump admin

Director of the National Science Foundation Sethuraman Panchanathan abruptly resigned Thursday, Science Magazine first reported.

Panchanathan, who goes by Panch, did not cite a reason for his departure, which comes as 16 months are left in his six-year term. However, like most other federal agencies, the scientific funding agency is awash in turmoil due to the Trump administration. Specifically, the NSF is facing a 55-percent cut to its $9 billion annual budget in the next fiscal year, as well as a mass layoff of half of its 1,700-person staff, according to Science.

Earlier this month, the NSF announced that it would be canceling active grants totaling up to $1 billion in scientific research funding. The reason given was that the research the grants funded was no longer a priority for the agency. They appear to include research focused on environmental justice, the spread of misinformation, and fostering diversity in the scientific community. The New York Times reported earlier this week that it had tallied more than 400 active NSF grants that have been terminated so far.

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