MIT President warns political interference and funding cuts are eroding scientists' optimism and America's innovation leadership
By
Sally Kornbluth
Baker's choice. Dense with flavour, light on filler.
Summary
MIT President Sally Kornbluth reflects on the growing disillusionment among scientists due to political interference, funding cuts, and bureaucratic obstacles. She contrasts the inherent optimism required for scientific discovery with the current climate that is eroding researchers' morale and threatens America's leadership in innovation. The article argues that this erosion of scientific strength is a loss for the nation.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledThis erosion of our strength is a loss for the nation.
Most successful scientists are optimists. They have to be, since the vast majority of experiments fail.
That optimism drove me to keep trying. One day, they did work and I uncovered a new insight about a process in those cancer cells that no one had described before.
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