Submitted by the MVCAC VVBD Committee
Entomology Today
In a survey of nearly 1,400 scientists released August 25, 2025, 83% said federal government policies since January 20, 2025, had caused an “extremely negative impact” or “irreparable harm” on their field of science. The survey reached members of more than a dozen scientific societies in the U.S. in ecology, evolution, and marine science, including ESA. These and other findings provide in-depth insights into how recent policy changes have affected the scientific research enterprise that supports national priorities and public welfare in the U.S.
A comprehensive survey of scientists across ecology, evolution, marine, and other life sciences points to significant disruptions to federal research programs following executive branch actions in 2025. The study, which gathered responses from nearly 1,400 members of scientific societies nationwide—including the Entomological Society of America—documents widespread impacts on research critical to American interests including food security, flood mitigation, infectious disease preparedness, and wildlife conservation.
The survey captured perspectives from scientists across all career stages and sectors, including academia, federal government, nonprofit organizations, and industry, with respondents geographically distributed throughout the United States.
Key Findings
Notable sentiments among survey respondents include:
83% of respondents said that federal policies since January 20, 2025, had “extremely negative impact” or “irreparable harm” on their field of science. Large portions of respondents reported that federal policies caused uncertainty about the future (85%) and increased stress and anxiety (79%). 71% of respondents said that US federal training programs were “very important” or “extremely important” to their development as scientists.
Respondents also shared comments about the impacts that underscored several common themes:
Research disruptions. Federal policies and workforce restructuring have caused significant interruptions to ongoing scientific work. Respondents reported disruptions to summer data collection projects and long-term monitoring programs due to direct funding cuts or uncertainty about potential cuts. These disruptions affect research supporting critical national priorities including food security, flood mitigation, infectious disease response, and wildlife management.
Restrictions on scientific communication. Scientists reported experiencing restrictions on free speech and travel, along with chilling effects that discourage open scientific discourse. Survey participants also noted censorship of scientific terminology and expressed concerns about the federal government’s ability to meet legal mandates enacted by Congress.
Loss of institutional knowledge. Reductions in force have led to decreased government efficiency and significant loss of institutional knowledge within the federal workforce, the survey found. Respondents documented delayed funding decisions, postponed collaborative research projects, and increased waste from cancellation of in-progress studies. Some participants reported breakdowns in longstanding collaborative relationships between federal agencies and state governments, academic institutions, nonprofits, and industry partners.
Training program impacts. Quantitative data from the survey highlight the critical role of federally funded programs in developing the next generation of scientists. Respondents reported severe impacts, including cancellation of undergraduate training programs, cuts to graduate admissions at universities, rescinded job offers, and reductions in merit-based fellowship programs. Scientists across career stages expressed concern about an emerging bottleneck for early-career researchers and potential long-term consequences for scientific fields.
Concerns about information integrity. Survey participants raised concerns about potential bias in or removal of information from federal sources, as well as threats to the viability of established federal programs.
Long-Term Implications
Some respondents indicated that certain harms may already be irreparable, citing disruptions to time-sensitive data collection, lost training opportunities, damaged career prospects, and harm to communities served by federal scientific programs due to the loss of institutional expertise.
The survey results provide the first systematic documentation of how recent federal policy changes have affected the scientific research enterprise that supports national priorities and public welfare.
Learn More
“Summer 2025 Survey Results”
The Impacts of U.S. Federal and State Policies on Science
Adapted from a press release originally published August 20, 2025.