Trump Fires Entire National Science Board Without Explanation

The Trump administration has fired all members of the National Science Board, the advisory body that oversees the National Science Foundation. Members received no explanation for their removal. The board was established by Congress in 1950 and is responsible for setting policy direction for the NSF, which funds a large share of basic scientific research across US universities and institutions. The NSF distributes roughly $9 billion annually in research grants covering fields from physics and biology to social sciences and engineering. The board normally has 25 members appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, serving six-year terms. Removing the entire board at once is highly unusual and leaves the NSF without its primary governing and advisory structure. With no board in place, oversight of grant-making priorities and long-term science policy at the NSF is effectively suspended. Researchers and universities that depend on NSF funding will be watching closely to see whether the administration moves to restructure the board, install new members, or use the vacancy to redirect funding priorities.