‘Science refugees': French university welcomes first US researchers
MARSEILLE, France - Eight American researchers have arrived at a university in southern France, as the country pushes to offer 'science asylum' to US academics hit by federal research spending cuts under US President Donald Trump.
The University of Aix-Marseille (AMU) welcomed the scholars on June 27, following the March launch of its 'Safe Place for Science' initiative, the first among 20 set to relocate there in coming months.
The programme has already drawn nearly 300 applicants from top institutions such as Stanford, Nasa, and Berkeley.
The development comes as US universities have been threatened since Mr Trump's return to the White House with massive federal funding cuts, causing research programmes to face closures.
Some staff also fear possible detention and deportation for their political views.
AMU – one of France's largest universities, with some 12,000 international students alone – is eager to provide a home for these scholars, with research funding for up to three years.
Historian Brian Sandberg said he decided to apply to the university in the southern Provence region on a return trip to the United States from France, when he feared he might face arrest at the border of his own country.
Though he was not detained, 'it makes you think about what is your status as a researcher', said the academic from Illinois, whose work focuses on religion, gender and violence.
Academic freedom 'under attack'
Professor Sandberg is now one of 20 scholars specialising in subjects ranging from health, climate science, astrophysics and the humanities set to relocate to France in September.
There, they hope to pursue their research in what they see as a more open academic environment.
'The principle of academic freedom, as well as the entire system of research and higher education in the United States is really under attack,' said Prof Sandberg.
'If I stay in the United States, I can continue to teach, but as a researcher, for the next four years, we're stuck,' he said, referring to Mr Trump's term in office.
AMU vice-president Denis Bertin takes part in a press conference to introduce American scientists who are beneficiaries of the 'Safe Place for Science' programme.
PHOTO: AFP
One academic who requested anonymity said Mr Trump's policies directly threatened her work on gender and human-caused global warming.
'Apparently, one of the banned words... is 'female',' she said. 'I don't know how you can get around speaking about females without using the word,' she said.
In February, the Washington Post reported that the National Science Foundation was flagging research using terms such as 'female' and 'women' that could violate Mr Trump's orders rolling back diversity initiatives.
But she said her decision to move to France went beyond her professional freedom.
'I've got kids, I don't want them to grow up in a very hostile area,' she said.
A 'science asylum programme'
AMU's programme is part of a broader push to cash in on Mr Trump's massive cuts in funding for education.
In May, France and the EU announced plans to attract US researchers in hopes of benefitting from the potential brain drain by supporting the costs of hosting foreign researchers.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who called the growing pressure on academia by Mr Trump's administration 'an error', has encouraged US scientists to 'choose France'.
He announced that his government would earmark €100 million (S$150 million) to help attract foreign talent. French lawmakers have introduced a Bill to create a special status for 'science refugees'.
AMU president Eric Berton described 'Safe Place for Science' as a 'science asylum' programme.
PHOTO: AFP
European Commission head Ursula Von der Leyen has said the European Union will launch an incentives package worth €500 million to make the 27-nation bloc 'a magnet for researchers'.
For its part, AMU expects to welcome the other 12 American researchers in the coming months, with its budget of €15 million.
'Saving our American colleagues and welcoming them is also a way of welcoming and promoting global research,' said the university's president, Dr Eric Berton.
'This is a science welcome programme, a science asylum programme. And above all, we want to enshrine the concept of science refugees in law,' he added.
In recent years, France has already welcomed scholars forced into exile from Ukraine, Yemen, Afghanistan and the Palestinian territories. AFP
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
International Business Times
41 minutes ago
- International Business Times
NASA Partners with Netflix to Livestream Space Events Worldwide Starting July 2025
American space agency NASA is about to take a giant leap forward in how it shows its space exploration efforts to the world. Beginning in July 2025, the agency will provide the streaming service platform Netflix with live feeds of its missions—including rocket launches and astronauts floating around in space. The move will help it to reach a wider audience across the globe. It's NASA's first-ever live broadcast of space arrivals on a major streaming platform. The aim is to increase enthusiasm for space—most notably among younger people, who are apt to be found watching Netflix and perhaps less inclined to check the government's website. The full video library will remain available on the space agency's free streaming service, NASA+. This includes past documentaries, mission recaps, and educational programs. However, for real-time events—like a spacecraft launch or astronauts floating outside the International Space Station—Netflix will now be the go-to platform. "Our job at NASA, since the Space Act of 1958, has been to tell the story of space exploration to everyone, everywhere in the world, and that's exactly what we're doing, and we're going to help other people and organizations do as well," said General Manager of NASA+ Rebecca Sirmons. "This partnership helps us to inspire the next generation—from their couch or phone." NASA+ was launched in 2023 to offer easier access to the agency's content. It is free, without ads, and it provides access to a wide range of on-demand science and space videos. But with this new partnership, NASA is making its largest leap yet to bring space to the people, leveraging Netflix's vast global reach. And from the agency's perspective, the move is about more than just getting views. It's about making science, technology, and the wonders of the cosmos accessible to everyone—not just to commercial space passengers—and doing it in real time. The deal is another step into a field that Netflix has been increasingly diving into, which is live broadcast. The live TV service now includes live sports, stand-up specials, and live French TV channels. By streaming NASA events, Netflix brings real-life space missions to its growing roster of live content.
International Business Times
41 minutes ago
- International Business Times
Elon Musk Slams Trump's $5 Trillion Bill, Proposes 'America Party' to Break Two-Party Grip
Elon Musk used Independence Day to reignite political tensions, taking aim at the U.S. government's fiscal policies and the dominance of its two-party structure. Posting on X, the tech mogul and SpaceX CEO denounced former President Donald Trump's latest legislative push—a sweeping second-term spending bill—as irresponsible and damaging. Calling the bill "insane" and a betrayal of working Americans, Musk accused both Republicans and Democrats of operating as a single, corrupt entity. "It's time to ask if we want independence from the two-party—or some might say uniparty—system," Musk wrote on July 4. He then floated the idea of a new movement: the "America Party," even launching a poll to test public support for a third-party alternative. In follow-up posts, Musk laid out a potential roadmap for gaining political influence without needing a large base. He suggested focusing efforts on just a handful of swing congressional districts and Senate seats. "With razor-thin margins in Congress, just a few seats could control key legislation," he argued, positioning the hypothetical party as a kingmaker rather than a traditional power bloc. This wasn't Musk's first warning. On July 1, he vowed that if the $5 trillion bill passed, he would immediately begin the process of launching a new political organization. The bill, which expands the federal debt ceiling by a record amount, passed the Senate earlier that week. In a particularly scathing remark, Musk mocked the bipartisan approval of the bill, calling Washington a "Porky Pig Party." He accused lawmakers of selling out the American people in favor of special interests, saying the legislation increases national debt while ignoring the economic struggles of ordinary citizens. Musk's opposition to the bill aligns with his longstanding criticism of government overspending. However, his latest posts go further—suggesting he may be preparing to back or build an actual third party, something rarely attempted in modern U.S. politics with success. While Musk has not officially declared a political campaign or party formation, his July 4 statements were more than symbolic. They suggest a growing interest in shaping national policy beyond the tech and business sectors. His massive social media following and influence give him an unusual platform to sway political sentiment, especially among independents and younger voters disillusioned with traditional parties.
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says two of its US aid workers injured in Gaza
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: Palestinians carry aid supplies from the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, May 29, 2025. REUTERS/Hatem Khaled/File Photo JERUSALEM - The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said on Saturday that two American aid workers had suffered non-life-threatening injuries in a targeted attack at a food distribution site in Gaza. The U.S.- and Israeli-backed GHF said in a statement that the injured Americans were receiving medical treatment and were in a stable condition. "The attack – which preliminary information indicates was carried out by two assailants who threw two grenades at the Americans – occurred at the conclusion of an otherwise successful distribution in which thousands of Gazans safely received food," the GHF said. In addition to aid workers, the GHF employs private U.S. military contractors tasked with providing security at their sites. It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack. The Israeli military had no immediate comment when contacted by Reuters. The Hamas-run interior ministry in Gaza on Thursday had warned residents of the coastal enclave not to assist the GHF, saying deadly incidents near its food distribution sites endangered hungry Gazans. The GHF began distributing food packages in Gaza at the end of May, bypassing traditional aid channels, including the United Nations which says the U.S.-based organisation is neither impartial nor neutral. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Asean needs 'bolder reforms' to attract investments in more fragmented global economy: PM Wong Singapore CPF members can make housing, retirement and health insurance plans with new digital platform Singapore CPF's central philosophy of self-reliance remains as pertinent as ever: SM Lee Asia Dalai Lama hopes to live beyond 130 years, much longer than predicted Sport Liverpool will move on after Jota's tragic death, but he will never be forgotten Singapore Tan Cheng Bock, Hazel Poa step down from PSP leadership; party launches 'renewal plan' Singapore Rock climbing fan suddenly could not jump, get up from squats Life Japanese food in Singapore under $20: 5 hawker stalls serving restaurant-quality sashimi and donburi The GHF has said it has delivered more than 52 million meals to Palestinians in five weeks, while other humanitarian groups had "nearly all of their aid looted". Since Israel lifted an 11-week aid blockade on Gaza on May 19, the U.N. says more than 400 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid handouts. A senior U.N. official said last week that the majority of people killed were trying to reach aid distribution sites of the GHF. Footage released by GHF has shown at least one aid site to be overrun with no clear distribution process. Palestinians have described the sites as chaotic. REUTERS
