On Friday, April 25, the President reportedly fired the entire National Science Board (NSB). The NSB plays a major role in overseeing the National Science Foundation (NSF) and advising Congress and the President, and its 24 members generally serve 6-year terms. The Board’s last scheduled meeting, on April 16, was canceled and never rescheduled.
NSF is also working without a confirmed director for more than a year, and did not even have a nominee for the position until last month. That nominee, venture capitalist Jim O’Neill, would be the first non-scientist to lead the Foundation. It is unclear when his nomination hearing will take place.
In the meantime, NSF is without a home since the Department of Housing and Urban Development took over the building that was built for NSF about a decade ago, and has lost approximately one-third of its staff in the past year.
The dismissals drew sharp criticism from Democrats and university leaders.
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