Latest news with #Castelli
France 24
27-06-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Did Iran's enriched uranium stockpile survive the US-Israeli strikes?
In the wake of the US dropping 14 so-called 'bunker buster' bombs on nuclear production sites in Iran on Monday, questions remain over how successfully the operation achieved its aims of destroying Iran's nuclear programme. US President Donald Trump said the strikes "obliterated' Tehran's major nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, with Israel claiming the strikes set back Iran's nuclear programme by 'many years'. But a preliminary US intelligence report leaked on Tuesday said the strikes did significant damage, rather than causing complete destruction, echoing a statement from the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) describing 'extensive damage' at multiple sites in Iran. As Iranian lawmakers voted on Wednesday to suspend all cooperation with the IAEA, the nuclear watchdog has not been able to carry out any inspections since the strikes. There remains an unanswered question over whether the attacks destroyed Tehran's 408.6 kilo reserve of enriched uranium – an essential component if it plans to produce nuclear weapons. 408.6 kilos of enriched uranium Iran's uranium stockpile is enriched to 60 percent purity, putting it well within reach of the 90 percent purity required for use in nuclear weapons. 'Going from natural uranium to 60 percent takes considerable time and effort,' says Ludovica Castelli, specialist in nuclear development in the Middle East at Italian thinktank, Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI). 'But once you're at 60 percent, the final step to 90 percent is much quicker. Experts estimate it could take just five or six days to enrich enough material for one nuclear weapon, if that political decision were made.' Before the war, experts believe the stockpile was mainly stored in two places: underground tunnels at a facility in Isfahan, and in a heavily fortified underground enrichment site in Fordow. Destroying these reserves would constitute a huge set back to Iran's nuclear ambitions. But while satellite images have shown destruction above ground, the two facilities are 'heavily fortified, and despite multiple Israeli and US attacks, there's no indication that those tunnels or the material inside were targeted,' Castelli says. There is also the possibility that Iran protected its stockpile by moving reserves to hidden storage sites prior to the attacks, as threatened by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Initial US and European intelligence suggests this is likely to have happened. 'That raises serious concerns, because if the material is now stored across undisclosed sites, it becomes extremely difficult to monitor, let alone verify, under international safeguards,' Castelli says. Satellite imagery shows trucks and bulldozers at the Fordow site beginning June 19, three days before the US struck, which may have been used to move the uranium – or not. Subsequent satellite imagery 'revealed that the tunnel entrances into the underground complex had been sealed off with dirt prior to the US airstrikes,' Stephen Wood, senior director at American satellite imagery and analysis firm Maxar Technologies told AP. 'We believe that some of the trucks seen on 19 June were carrying dirt to be used as part of that operation.' 08:05 Nine nuclear bombs Iran's supplies of enriched uranium could be converted into enough weapons-grade uranium to make about nine nuclear bombs at a site like Fordow, Castelli says. However, the uranium 'is not going to enrich itself, and Natanz and Fordow are really badly damaged,' cautions Hans-Jakob Schindler, a former German diplomat in Tehran who today directs the Counter Extremism Project NGO. The centrifuges used to enrich uranium at Fordow are 'no longer operational,' the IAEA director Rafael Grossi told Radio France Internationale on Thursday. But it seems likely that Iran still has enrichment capacity at other sites including what Castelli describes as a 'significant underground complex' close to Natanz that is thought to hold high-strength rotors for centrifuges. If large sections of Tehran's nuclear infrastructure survived the attacks, 'the big question is, if Iran did move some of its 60 percent enriched uranium, in what time frame are they going to be able to enrich that to 90 percent and then build a bomb?' asks Schindler. Before the start of the Israel-Iran conflict, experts estimated that it would take Iran three weeks to enrich its uranium to 90 percent and then produce nine nuclear weapons. But such estimates could be a best-case scenario for Tehran as material such as centrifuges are sensitive and must work in tandem to more quickly enrich uranium. 'They work in cascades so if one centrifuge fails, the entire cascade fails,' says Schindler. 'You can't bomb knowledge' Israeli officials said that on June 23 that its military carried out additional strikes around Fordow in order to damage access routes and prevent the Iranians from transporting materials needed to pursue their nuclear plans elsewhere. Although Israel and Iran have now agreed to a ceasefire, proposed by Trump, moving uranium out of hiding – if there is any – will not be an easy task. 'If it's in the form of uranium hexafluoride gas, which is what's used in centrifuges, it has to be stored in special high-pressure cylinders,' Castelli says. 'This gas is chemically toxic and highly reactive, particularly with water. If there's a leak during transport, there could be a chemical hazard.' The chemical is easier to handle when converted to solid form, such as a powder, but still requires steps to reduce contamination and exposure. Castelli says, 'moving it safely would require specialized equipment'. There is also the risk that such activity would be picked up by US or Israeli surveillance – meaning that Tehran may, for now, prefer to leave any hidden supplies where they are. The US, Israel and the IAEA all agree that strikes on Iran have set back its nuclear programme, but it remains unclear by how much. 'You just don't know how extensive the damage is. You could argue maybe it's several years', Schindler says. US intelligence has estimated Tehran's plans have been set back only a few months, although the White House rejected this assessment. Even then, the main damage is operational and Iran has the know-how to recoup what it has lost. As former US secretary of state Colin L. Powell once remarked, ' you can't bomb knowledge '. With time, financial investment and willpower, Tehran could rebuild infrastructure to pursue its nuclear programme, buoyed by its possible stash of enriched uranium. Despite 12 days of US and Israeli strikes on Iran, 'there are still engineers. There are more scientists than those that were killed", says Schindler. That is one of the most compelling arguments against the US-Israeli attacks, the expert says. Without significant political change and regional integration of Iran, Schindler says two outcomes are likely: 'The next person in power is going to build a nuclear bomb, and they're not going to do that with IAEA inspections. So, [the West] is going to have to attack Iran again, and they may not know as much about the nuclear programme as they did this time. They will be taking an ever-increasing risk.'
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dickson City to hold free concerts, drive-in movies for 150th anniversary
Dickson City is giving residents free entertainment for its 150th birthday. Throughout the summer, the borough will hold six free concerts Saturdays at its Riverfront Park on Enterprise Street. And the town partnered with the Circle Drive-In on Business Route 6 to hold six nights of free movies Wednesdays. Both events will continue through August. The borough will hold its first concert at 1 p.m. Saturday when the Old Friends Band performs. The Circle Drive-In held its first free community night Wednesday when it aired 'Creature from the Black Lagoon,' with the next community movie night set for 9 p.m. June 25 when it will play Alfred Hitchcock's 'Psycho.' To celebrate 150 years since Dickson City was founded, borough council decided to hold 150 events over the course of the year, borough Manager Cesare Forconi said. The concerts and movies are part of those events, he said. 'Council was very ambitious,' Forconi said. 'We thought a great way to have these events is, of course, concerts. … The drive-in was nice enough to offer its facilities there for us.' Dickson City opened its Riverfront Park in the 800 block of Enterprise Street in October 2023, constructing it with a dog park for large and small animals, as well as a boat launch and walking trail, among other amenities. While the dog park is the park's most notable feature, Forconi emphasized that the borough always wanted it to be more than a dog park. Dickson City now plans to add a permanent bandstand to the park this summer, though that isn't ready yet, he said. In the meantime, the borough will have a temporary bandstand in place for the concerts. There will be 11 bands performing across the six concerts, and the borough will have food trucks at the park, Forconi said. Concertgoers will have to bring their own seating, he said. Circle Drive-In General Manager Dave Castelli said borough officials asked him if he'd be interested in partnering with the town for the 150th anniversary festivities. 'I thought it was a great idea just to promote Dickson City, to promote the history of the drive-in in the town,' he said, pointing out the Circle Drive-In is 76 years old. 'I love doing community events.' The only cost for the borough is paying for the actual movies, Forconi said, explaining they will be showing classic movies because they only carry a small charge to air. Retro films cost between $250 and $500, Castelli said. Castelli sees the partnership as a unique opportunity to work with Dickson City, help out residents and give back to the community. 'There's a lot of people that are struggling in the economy, and so giving people this opportunity, we'll probably see people that just can't afford to go to the drive-in or would never be able to come up to the drive-in,' Castelli said. 'It gives everybody a chance to just come up and enjoy the nostalgia of the drive-in, which is half the age of the borough.' The movies and concerts are a free way for families to spend time together, Forconi said. 'We want it to be a family-oriented event that everyone can attend from all ages,' he said. For concert and movie schedules, visit and
The 42
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Day of drama sees Tim Shoreman sprint to stage victory in Rás Tailteann
TIM SHOREMAN BACKED up his Stage One win in some style as he sprinted to a second victory in Stage Three of the 2025 Rás Tailteann. Shoreman (Wheelbase/Cabtech/Castelli) came out on top on a dramatic day of attacks and high-speed action across the Wild Atlantic Way as the peloton tackled a demanding 164km route from Cong to Miltown Malbay. Advertisement The stage began wet and fast, with the peloton covering 133.5km in just three hours — an average of 44.5km/h — as they passed through Athenry, Kinvara, and the Burren Lowlands. Multiple riders attempted to break clear, including Dean Harvey (Team Ireland), who bridged to the breakaway on the road to Ardrahan. George Peden (Team PB Performance) and Evan Keane (Pinergy-Orwell) were among early chasers, while Cormac McGeough (Canel's – Java) was forced to drop back for a bike change. The race exploded on Corkscrew Hill, where Harvey surged clear and crested the climb first. Despite this aggression, he was caught after Corkscrew, and a lead group of around 60 riders reformed heading towards Lisdoonvarna and the Doonagore Cross climb. Jude Taylor led the way over the top, followed by Adam Lewis, Jamie Meehan, and Odhran Doogan. The race continued along the stunning but foggy Cliffs of Moher, where Adam Lewis took top points in the final KOM of the day, ahead of Jamie Meehan, Danylo Riwnyj, Odhran Doogan, Pau Doménech Callau, and Will Tidball. With 15km to go, the tension rose. Yellow jersey Odhran Doogan (Cycling Ulster) marked every move, but attacks kept coming — notably from George Peden, who briefly held a 13-second advantage before being reeled in. As the race surged into Miltown Malbay, the final sprint loomed where Shoreman showed his strength to take his second victory in three days.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The best and brightest young scientists are looking beyond the U.S. as cuts hit home
Jack Castelli had it all figured out. The University of Washington doctoral student had spent the past three years developing new gene-editing techniques that could spur immunity to the virus that causes AIDS. Early testing in mice showed promising results. His research group hoped it could develop into a treatment, or even a cure, for HIV. Castelli, who is Canadian, saw two career paths after his graduation this spring: He could join a U.S. biotech company, or he could find a postdoctoral position at a U.S. university or research laboratory. 'This is where the money is at and where all the clinical trials are happening,' Castelli said, making the U.S. 'the only place in my mind I could push that forward.' Then the Trump administration's science cuts hit. And so, on a rainy late April day in Seattle, Castelli stood at a lectern before his friends and family and defended his doctoral thesis — about using stem cells to express antibodies against HIV — with his scientific life at a crossroads. Should he join a lab in his native Canada? Accept recruiting calls to a European university? A Chinese biotech company? They were all possibilities now, and his U.S. visa is likely to expire in a few months' time. Nick Chavkin, an assistant professor in the pediatrics department at UW Medicine, speaks out against cuts to NIH funding at a Feb. 19 rally in Seattle. Castelli, a doctoral student at UW, holds a sign in the background, decrying the cuts. (Evan Bush / NBC News) 'I have a personal interest in Jack getting the best opportunity for himself, and as much as I'd love to say the U.S. is the place, I can't necessarily say that right now,' said Jennifer Adair, who was Castelli's principal investigator at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center, a partner institute to the university. Castelli speaks three languages fluently and completed two internships while earning his doctoral degree. He is a generous colleague and an exceptional scientist, Adair said. But his uncertain future is hardly unique. The Trump administration's slowdown in science funding — which stalled thousands of grants at the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation, among other organizations — has left U.S.-based scientists and researchers scrambling to find homes for promising work that could lead to medical treatments and cures. Now many are looking abroad. As of May, Castelli had not made a decision on whether he'll stay in the U.S. The slowdown has forced the University of Washington, a top public university for biomedical research, to implement a hiring freeze, travel restrictions, class size reductions and furloughs. Some departments are pushing students to graduate sooner than expected. In a court filing, a university representative said it funds about 3,000 researchers through NIH grants. Interviews with more than 20 graduate students, faculty members and university administrators at UW describe a research hub thrown into chaos. Other institutions have made similarly drastic moves, according to court filings in lawsuits that aim to thwart the cuts. Many of those interviewed said a generation of scientists — and the innovations their research would bring — could be decimated. A sign at the March 7 Stand Up For Science rally held at Seattle Center, a public gathering space near downtown. (Stephanie Ryder) 'Really talented people are not able to get jobs; other really talented people are able to get jobs, but they're choosing not to take them because of the craziness,' said David Baker, a professor of biochemistry at the University of Washington School of Medicine, who won the Nobel Prize in 2024 for protein research. 'Why would you stay in a country where there's not really an obvious commitment to science, when you could go somewhere else and be better funded and not worry about what you can read in the news or what email you're going to get?' In an April 14 court filing, the university's vice provost for research, Mari Ostendorf, said the campus mood had dimmed. 'Faculty and staff don't know if their funding will be cut, if their research will be terminated, whether they will be able to attend conferences, or even whether they will continue to have jobs,' Ostendorf wrote. 'Funding gaps have forced researchers to abandon studies, miss deadlines, or lose key personnel.' A spokesperson for the National Institutes of Health declined to comment. And there may be even more funding lost in the future due to Trump administration decisions. After a protest at the University of Washington campus Monday over the war in the Gaza Strip, the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees NIH, announced that it was part of a task force reviewing UW's response to the demonstration. About 30 people were arrested after occupying a campus building Monday, according to the university, which condemned the protest in a statement and described it as 'dangerous' and 'violent.' The Trump administration previously canceled federal grants at Columbia University during a similar review and has said Harvard University will receive no new grants until it makes a series of reforms, including changes to policies about protests and antisemitism. Although the review was only announced Tuesday, the administration's Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism said in a news release that 'the university must do more to deter future violence and guarantee that Jewish students have a safe and productive learning environment,' adding that it expected UW 'to follow up with enforcement actions and policy changes.' A university science laboratory operates like a small factory where workers are churning out ideas, research and data, rather than furniture or light bulbs. Traditionally, these labs' primary customers are federal science agencies, like NIH or NSF. Think of a lab's principal investigator as akin to a company president. In the grant process, they must convince the government or private funders to buy their product — unique research — and then pay graduate students in wages and tuition. Seattle's science community held a "Stand Up for Science' rally at Seattle Center, the location of the city's Space Needle building, on Friday, March 7. (Stephanie Ryder) 'I'm like a small-business owner,' said Adair, who recently left Seattle to serve as a professor and associate director at the UMass Chan Medical School's gene therapy center. 'I have to pay myself. I have to pay my staff. I have to find the money to do the research.' In the first few months of 2025, funding for NIH grants has lagged the year prior by at least $2.3 billion, according to STAT News. NIH has also canceled grant applications as it targets politically disfavored topics like infectious diseases, according to critics. That funding slowdown has forced many principal investigators to reduce their lab's size. 'We've had to make personnel cuts,' said Alex Greninger, a professor of laboratory medicine at UW Medicine, adding that he had been forced to rescind a job offer to a postdoctoral researcher from China who had been doing research in his lab for nearly three years. It cost the researcher her visa, he said. Another member of his lab left to take a job at a Chinese gene synthesis firm. Several have seen placements rescinded at other institutions. 'This is the first year where people didn't get into graduate school,' Greninger said, about technicians in his lab who have completed undergraduate degrees, adding that they had done 'everything right.' Dr. Anna Wald, the head of allergy and infectious diseases at UW Medicine, the university's school of medicine and hospital system, said several principal investigators in her department cut part of their own salaries to keep their staffers on. Meanwhile, Adair paid out of her own pocket to send students to conferences that could advance their careers. The uncertainty has also simply wasted time, some said. 'Everybody is spending a lot of time dealing with changes in how the university operates,' said Jakob Von Moltke, an associate professor of immunology at the University of Washington. 'Everything just functions less efficiently and there's less innovation.' With so many professors uncertain about funding, many first-year graduate students seeking a lab are struggling to find positions. At some UW departments, first-year graduate students often rotate between labs for several months before they select a home for the following four or five years. 'A lot of people are scrambling to find a lab to settle into and a lot of faculty are unable to commit to taking students, or backing out of commitments,' said Dustin Mullaney, a first-year doctoral student studying molecular and cellular biology. Still, many first-years consider themselves lucky — at least they got in. Most UW departments have reduced upcoming graduate classes by 25%-50%, according to court filings in a case filed by 16 state attorneys general aiming to restore the flow of NIH funding. 'I think we are going to lose most of a generation of scientists,' said Henry Mangapalli, a first-year doctoral student in the laboratory medicine department. Meanwhile, doctoral students nearing graduation say they're being recruited to move abroad. Kristin Weinstein, a fourth-year doctoral student in the department of immunology working on autoimmune research, planned to graduate next year, find a postdoctoral research position at a U.S. university and eventually become a professor. Kristin Weinstein, in immunology pHd candidate at the University of Washington, speaks at a Stand Up for Science event on March 7 in Seattle. Weinstein was a lead organizer of the event. (Stephanie Ryder) But now, faced with hiring freezes and shrinking labs, Weinstein said she's considering moving her family, including an infant son, out of the U.S. Before UW's austerity actions, Weinstein booked travel to Switzerland so she could present her research at the World Immune Regulation Meeting 2025, a key conference in her field. 'What it turned into was a lot of informational interviewing,' Weinstein said. 'I talked to faculty who are in Australia, faculty who are in Germany, faculty who are in Luxembourg and Denmark. … There was active recruiting happening.' Baker, the Nobel winner who directs the Institute for Protein Design, said that more than 15 of his graduate students and postdoctoral researchers were aiming for new roles overseas. Meanwhile, other students have seen their research upended. Nelson Niu, a fourth-year doctoral student in mathematics, said he had planned to spend six years teaching students and completing his thesis, a timeline sanctioned by his department. But on March 11 he received an email from his department chair saying the policy had changed for fourth-year students because of new financial realities, and people like Niu were now only guaranteed five years of funding. 'Jarring,' Niu said of the notice; now he'd have to pack two years of study into one. Arjun Kumar, a third-year doctoral student studying why T cells lose their ability to fight off tumors, was working with National Cancer Institute researchers to potentially apply some of his research findings to a type of treatment pioneered there. But Kumar said he lost weeks of time after the NIH placed a temporary communications freeze on federal researchers this winter. (ADD CAPTION) (Stephanie Ryder) 'They were already working on key experiments for us and they already had data they couldn't send us because they couldn't email us,' Kumar said. Later, Kumar learned the NCI researchers no longer had the bandwidth to help. 'It was an exciting collaboration that was snuffed out in the moment,' Kumar said. Washington is one of 16 states suing the NIH and HHS over its slowdown in grant funding. A judge will hear arguments Thursday as the state attorneys general seek a preliminary injunction. Meanwhile, the pressure on scientists to leave the U.S. is only increasing. On Monday, the European Union launched a drive to attract scientists to Europe, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a commitment of $566 million to attract U.S. talent and 'make Europe a magnet for researchers.' 'It has been really challenging to my identity as an American citizen to think about having to leave the country to pursue my career,' Weinstein said. 'It feels like the American dream is dead.' This article was originally published on
NBC News
07-05-2025
- Health
- NBC News
The best and brightest young scientists are looking beyond the U.S. as cuts hit home
Jack Castelli had it all figured out. The University of Washington doctoral student had spent the past three years developing new gene-editing techniques that could spur immunity to the virus that causes AIDS. Early testing in mice showed promising results. His research group hoped it could develop into a treatment, or even a cure, for HIV. Castelli, who is Canadian, saw two career paths after his graduation this spring: He could join a U.S. biotech company, or he could find a postdoctoral position at a U.S. university or research laboratory. 'This is where the money is at and where all the clinical trials are happening,' Castelli said, making the U.S. 'the only place in my mind I could push that forward.' Then the Trump administration's science cuts hit. And so, on a rainy late April day in Seattle, Castelli stood at a lectern before his friends and family and defended his doctoral thesis — about using stem cells to express antibodies against HIV — with his scientific life at a crossroads. Should he join a lab in his native Canada? Accept recruiting calls to a European university? A Chinese biotech company? They were all possibilities now, and his U.S. visa is likely to expire in a few months' time. 'I have a personal interest in Jack getting the best opportunity for himself, and as much as I'd love to say the U.S. is the place, I can't necessarily say that right now,' said Jennifer Adair, who was Castelli's principal investigator at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center, a partner institute to the university. Castelli speaks three languages fluently and completed two internships while earning his doctoral degree. He is a generous colleague and an exceptional scientist, Adair said. But his uncertain future is hardly unique. The Trump administration's slowdown in science funding — which stalled thousands of grants at the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation, among other organizations — has left U.S.-based scientists and researchers scrambling to find homes for promising work that could lead to medical treatments and cures. Now many are looking abroad. As of May, Castelli had not made a decision on whether he'll stay in the U.S. The slowdown has forced the University of Washington, a top public university for biomedical research, to implement a hiring freeze, travel restrictions, class size reductions and furloughs. Some departments are pushing students to graduate sooner than expected. In a court filing, a university representative said it funds about 3,000 researchers through NIH grants. Interviews with more than 20 graduate students, faculty members and university administrators at UW describe a research hub thrown into chaos. Other institutions have made similarly drastic moves, according to court filings in lawsuits that aim to thwart the cuts. Many of those interviewed said a generation of scientists — and the innovations their research would bring — could be decimated. 'Really talented people are not able to get jobs; other really talented people are able to get jobs, but they're choosing not to take them because of the craziness,' said David Baker, a professor of biochemistry at the University of Washington School of Medicine, who won the Nobel Prize in 2024 for protein research. 'Why would you stay in a country where there's not really an obvious commitment to science, when you could go somewhere else and be better funded and not worry about what you can read in the news or what email you're going to get?' In an April 14 court filing, the university's vice provost for research, Mari Ostendorf, said the campus mood had dimmed. 'Faculty and staff don't know if their funding will be cut, if their research will be terminated, whether they will be able to attend conferences, or even whether they will continue to have jobs,' Ostendorf wrote. 'Funding gaps have forced researchers to abandon studies, miss deadlines, or lose key personnel.' A spokesperson for the National Institutes of Health declined to comment. And there may be even more funding lost in the future due to Trump administration decisions. After a protest at the University of Washington campus Monday over the war in the Gaza Strip, the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees NIH, announced that it was part of a task force reviewing UW's response to the demonstration. About 30 people were arrested after occupying a campus building Monday, according to the university, which condemned the protest in a statement and described it as 'dangerous' and 'violent.' The Trump administration previously canceled federal grants at Columbia University during a similar review and has said Harvard University will receive no new grants until it makes a series of reforms, including changes to policies about protests and antisemitism. Although the review was only announced Tuesday, the administration's Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism said in a news release that 'the university must do more to deter future violence and guarantee that Jewish students have a safe and productive learning environment,' adding that it expected UW 'to follow up with enforcement actions and policy changes.' A university science laboratory operates like a small factory where workers are churning out ideas, research and data, rather than furniture or light bulbs. Traditionally, these labs' primary customers are federal science agencies, like NIH or NSF. Think of a lab's principal investigator as akin to a company president. In the grant process, they must convince the government or private funders to buy their product — unique research — and then pay graduate students in wages and tuition. 'I'm like a small-business owner,' said Adair, who recently left Seattle to serve as a professor and associate director at the UMass Chan Medical School's gene therapy center. 'I have to pay myself. I have to pay my staff. I have to find the money to do the research.' In the first few months of 2025, funding for NIH grants has lagged the year prior by at least $2.3 billion, according to STAT News. NIH has also canceled grant applications as it targets politically disfavored topics like infectious diseases, according to critics. That funding slowdown has forced many principal investigators to reduce their lab's size. 'We've had to make personnel cuts,' said Alex Greninger, a professor of laboratory medicine at UW Medicine, adding that he had been forced to rescind a job offer to a postdoctoral researcher from China who had been doing research in his lab for nearly three years. It cost the researcher her visa, he said. Another member of his lab left to take a job at a Chinese gene synthesis firm. Several have seen placements rescinded at other institutions. 'This is the first year where people didn't get into graduate school,' Greninger said, about technicians in his lab who have completed undergraduate degrees, adding that they had done 'everything right.' Dr. Anna Wald, the head of allergy and infectious diseases at UW Medicine, the university's school of medicine and hospital system, said several principal investigators in her department cut part of their own salaries to keep their staffers on. Meanwhile, Adair paid out of her own pocket to send students to conferences that could advance their careers. The uncertainty has also simply wasted time, some said. 'Everybody is spending a lot of time dealing with changes in how the university operates,' said Jakob Von Moltke, an associate professor of immunology at the University of Washington. 'Everything just functions less efficiently and there's less innovation.' With so many professors uncertain about funding, many first-year graduate students seeking a lab are struggling to find positions. At some UW departments, first-year graduate students often rotate between labs for several months before they select a home for the following four or five years. 'A lot of people are scrambling to find a lab to settle into and a lot of faculty are unable to commit to taking students, or backing out of commitments,' said Dustin Mullaney, a first-year doctoral student studying molecular and cellular biology. Still, many first-years consider themselves lucky — at least they got in. Most UW departments have reduced upcoming graduate classes by 25%-50%, according to court filings in a case filed by 16 state attorneys general aiming to restore the flow of NIH funding. 'I think we are going to lose most of a generation of scientists,' said Henry Mangapalli, a first-year doctoral student in the laboratory medicine department. Meanwhile, doctoral students nearing graduation say they're being recruited to move abroad. Kristin Weinstein, a fourth-year doctoral student in the department of immunology working on autoimmune research, planned to graduate next year, find a postdoctoral research position at a U.S. university and eventually become a professor. But now, faced with hiring freezes and shrinking labs, Weinstein said she's considering moving her family, including an infant son, out of the U.S. Before UW's austerity actions, Weinstein booked travel to Switzerland so she could present her research at the World Immune Regulation Meeting 2025, a key conference in her field. 'What it turned into was a lot of informational interviewing,' Weinstein said. 'I talked to faculty who are in Australia, faculty who are in Germany, faculty who are in Luxembourg and Denmark. … There was active recruiting happening.' Baker, the Nobel winner who directs the Institute for Protein Design, said that more than 15 of his graduate students and postdoctoral researchers were aiming for new roles overseas. Meanwhile, other students have seen their research upended. Nelson Niu, a fourth-year doctoral student in mathematics, said he had planned to spend six years teaching students and completing his thesis, a timeline sanctioned by his department. But on March 11 he received an email from his department chair saying the policy had changed for fourth-year students because of new financial realities, and people like Niu were now only guaranteed five years of funding. 'Jarring,' Niu said of the notice; now he'd have to pack two years of study into one. Arjun Kumar, a third-year doctoral student studying why T cells lose their ability to fight off tumors, was working with National Cancer Institute researchers to potentially apply some of his research findings to a type of treatment pioneered there. But Kumar said he lost weeks of time after the NIH placed a temporary communications freeze on federal researchers this winter. 'They were already working on key experiments for us and they already had data they couldn't send us because they couldn't email us,' Kumar said. Later, Kumar learned the NCI researchers no longer had the bandwidth to help. 'It was an exciting collaboration that was snuffed out in the moment,' Kumar said. Washington is one of 16 states suing the NIH and HHS over its slowdown in grant funding. A judge will hear arguments Thursday as the state attorneys general seek a preliminary injunction. Meanwhile, the pressure on scientists to leave the U.S. is only increasing. On Monday, the European Union launched a drive to attract scientists to Europe, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a commitment of $566 million to attract U.S. talent and 'make Europe a magnet for researchers.' 'It has been really challenging to my identity as an American citizen to think about having to leave the country to pursue my career,' Weinstein said. 'It feels like the American dream is dead.'
