"The National Science Foundation fired 168 employees on Tuesday. According to an NSF spokesperson, the firings are to ensure compliance with President Trump's executive order aimed at reducing the federal workforce in the name of efficiency.
Prior to the firings, about 1,700 staff worked at NSF, managing their $9 billion federal budget that funds research on everything from astrophysics to civil engineering. Staff were called to an emergency meeting at 10am ET, held on Zoom and in person, where they were told by Micah Cheatam, NSF's chief management officer, that they'd be terminated by the end of the day, without severance. According to sources who were present, NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan, who ordered the firings, did not attend the meeting.
"Firing talented people, including scientists, who have already invested a year or two with the agency is a waste of resources," says Neal Lane, who served as director of the NSF from 1993 to 1998. "The U.S. needs more scientists, engineers and other technical talent. These firings will cause many of them to leave the field.""
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