Panicking scientists, canceled experiments – federal funding cuts turned my work as a research dean into crisis management

When the Trump administration took aim at higher education and the scientific research enterprise, a university dean had to figure out on the fly how to support scientists and their work at his school.

By: Nara Parameswaran, Michigan State University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: March 30, 2026

Words: 1,388

Last Updated: 4 months ago

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By Nara Parameswaran, Michigan State University

Fielding frantic faculty emails and panicked texts was not how I had hoped my 2025 would begin. Little did I imagine that my role as a research dean at a medical school would be taken over by navigating chaotic grant terminations and delays of federal research funding, all justified in the name of scientific progress.

Under normal conditions, a major part of my job is reducing barriers …

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