Introduction to the Crisis
Northwestern University faculty say the Trump administration’s decision to freeze $790 million in federal funding to the school will disrupt research that benefits communities across the Chicago area and the country. Northwestern receives just over $1 billion in research funding each year, according to a 2024 audited financial report. The Trump funding freeze could wipe out nearly all of it.
Impact on Research Projects
“There are grants to help teachers develop better middle-school math curricula. And those stop. There are grants to run medical tests in the medical school on a potential new drug — that test has to stop halfway through,” said Ian Hurd, a political science professor and president-elect of the Northwestern Faculty Senate. “The research [projects] of the university … are really investments in the future that everybody benefits from — medicines and cellphone batteries and cleaning up coal plant emissions.”
Notification and Investigation
Northwestern spokesperson Jon Yates said university leaders were informed of the federal funding pause by members of the media — and as of Wednesday afternoon, they had still not received official notice from the Trump administration about what the pause entails. White House officials on Tuesday said the government is investigating Northwestern over alleged civil rights violations.
Consequences of Funding Freeze
“Federal funds that Northwestern receives drive innovative and lifesaving research, like the recent development by Northwestern researchers of the world’s smallest pacemaker, and research fueling the fight against Alzheimer’s disease,” Yates said in an email. “This type of research is now at jeopardy. The University has fully cooperated with investigations by both the Department of Education and Congress.”
The World’s Smallest Pacemaker
The world’s tiniest pacemaker is a temporary heartbeat regulator smaller than a grain of rice that can be injected, controlled by light, and eventually dissolves. Northwestern said the research that went into this pacemaker is the kind of work threatened by the Trump funding pause.
Growing List of Universities Targeted
Northwestern joins a growing list of universities — including Columbia, Brown, the University of Pennsylvania and Cornell — that have been targeted by the Trump administration for what many allege are illegal federal funding cuts.
Reaction from Faculty
“It is clear that the federal government seems to have taken an antagonistic stance toward universities across the country,” Hurd said. “It seems to me that the U.S. government is a little bit afraid, a little bit anxious about its own position, and so, it’s looking to undermine any institution that can stand up to it. It strikes me as remarkably shortsighted on the part of the government [to make] it harder for kids to go to college and harder for universities to do the kind of research that improves everybody’s lives.”
Impact on Specific Research Projects
Julius Lucks, a chemical and biological engineering professor at Northwestern, has been working on providing low-cost, at-home water-quality testing for communities that need it most in the Chicago area. Lucks’ research is funded in part by the National Science Foundation, but in February, his work was included on a list of projects that the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee claimed promotes “neo-Marxist class warfare propaganda.”
Call to Action
Lucks said there needs to be a broader collective movement to “convince the administration that they need to reverse course on this.” “I think we’re starting to be pretty galvanized. This is just important stuff, and it’s really important for the public to know that scientists are doing this work for them. We’re doing this for everybody, and we need to get the word out so the public starts to really value this type of work,” Lucks said.
Conclusion
The Trump administration’s decision to freeze federal funding to Northwestern University has significant implications for the future of research and innovation. The university’s research projects, which benefit communities across the country, are at risk of being disrupted or stopped altogether. It is essential for the public to understand the importance of this research and the impact of the funding freeze on the university and the community.
FAQs
- Q: How much federal funding does Northwestern University receive each year?
A: Northwestern University receives just over $1 billion in research funding each year. - Q: What is the reason for the Trump administration’s decision to freeze federal funding to Northwestern University?
A: The Trump administration has alleged civil rights violations as the reason for the funding freeze. - Q: What kind of research projects will be affected by the funding freeze?
A: Research projects that benefit communities across the country, including medical research, educational research, and environmental research, will be affected by the funding freeze. - Q: How can the public support Northwestern University and its research projects?
A: The public can support Northwestern University and its research projects by raising awareness about the importance of the research and the impact of the funding freeze, and by contacting their representatives to express their concerns.
