The Trump administration just fired several members of the National Science Board, the group that sets policy for the National Science Foundation. Board members got messages saying their positions were terminated immediately, though the exact number affected isn't clear yet.
This matters because the NSF controls about 25% of all federal research funding that goes to colleges and universities. Over its 75 year history, NSF-funded research has led to technologies we use daily, including MRI machines and cellphones.
The board can have up to 25 active members but currently sits at just 22 after the NSF's former director resigned abruptly last year. The timing is particularly awkward since the board has a scheduled meeting on May 5, and it's unclear if that will even happen now.
Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, who ranks on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, called it a "real bozo the clown move" and said it's part of a pattern of attacks on the NSF since day one of this administration.
For anyone working in AI or tech, this is worth watching. The NSF funds fundamental research that often becomes the foundation for commercial AI applications years later. Disrupting the board that guides those funding decisions could ripple through the innovation pipeline.
The NSB is punting questions to the White House, which hasn't provided details on why the terminations happened or what comes next for the board's leadership.
