According to the country’s research minister, a French scientist was refused entrance into the United States after it was discovered that he had voiced a viewpoint regarding the research agenda of the Trump administration. On March 9, the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency reported that the anonymous researcher was randomly checked and had his personal phone and work computer searched while traveling to a conference being held close to Houston. The researcher was suspected of sending hateful and potentially terrorist remarks about Trump, a diplomatic source told the agency.
A scientist was recently banned from the US due to some messages compromising Trump
According to the first report, the researchers were deported back to Europe the following day after their personal and professional equipment was seized. Moreover, Philippe Baptiste, the research minister, expressed his alarm about the expulsion of a French researcher who was traveling to a meeting near Houston after being refused admission into the United States. The researcher’s phone contained conversations with friends and colleagues in which he shared his thoughts on the research strategy of the Trump administration, the minister continued, suggesting that the U.S. authorities had taken this action.
The AFP news agency referred to the scientist as a space researcher, and Mr. Baptiste stated that he was employed by the French National Centre for Scientific Research. He also highlighted that they will proudly preserve the values of academic freedom, unfettered inquiry, and freedom of opinion. Additionally, Mr. Baptiste wrote to American research organizations on the same day the scientist was refused entry, informing them that they would be welcome in France. The letter claimed that several prominent researchers are considering their future in the United States, and the organization wishes to welcome a few of them.
Being a scientist in America has become a challenging task over the past months
The Netherlands is making efforts to establish itself as a haven for the best scientists as budget cuts and political pressures force some researchers to leave the US. To make the Netherlands a top destination, Education Minister Eppo Bruins announced the establishment of a fund to draw top foreign scientists and urged prompt action. The grant is available to researchers of various nationalities, but it seems to be a direct reaction to American scientists’ mounting fears about President Donald Trump’s tightening limitations on academic freedom.
Increased government censorship, political meddling in areas such as gender studies and climate science, and stricter regulations on scientific communication have alarmed U.S. researchers. To attract disillusioned American scientists, the Netherlands has begun a scheme similar to that which France has already started. Since the ministry is still in talks with the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO), the precise amount of funding available has not yet been decided. But Bruins said it was important to make the announcement now because scientists are now choosing where to pursue their careers. They must take the Netherlands into account.
Dutch universities, especially the Universities of the Netherlands (UNL), are looking into ways to recruit American scholars to boost Dutch innovation and solidarity with American academics facing constraints. The universities believe this is an excellent idea for boosting Dutch innovation and showing sympathy with American academics. In addition to identifying threats to essential research, the National Research Council (NWO), which oversees national research funding, is evaluating how to assist attempts to counter the U.S. signals.
The group highlights how crucial academic freedom and global collaboration are to the survival of research. Moreover, the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) reports that informal talks between Dutch and American researchers have already started. Marileen Dogterom, president of KNAW, predicted that there will be a talent competition, particularly in fields with acute labor shortages like technology and mathematics. However, our primary responsibility at this time is to promote free science.
