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As the political tensions between China and the US rise, a spotlight has fallen on scientists.
A crackdown by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on foreign influence in federally funded research has led to a number of academics getting fired from universities, with more investigations ongoing. And recent visa restrictions for Chinese students and scholars have slowed scientists coming to the US.
For Chinese-American scholars, these developments have raised concerns that they might be caught in the crossfire. Members of the broader scientific community are also worried that escalating tensions might hurt collaborations or the influx of talent from overseas.
In the current political climate, “we’re seeing discrimination targeted specifically at our Chinese students and scholars,” says Jenny Lee, a professor of educational policy and practice at the University of Arizona.
“There’s a chilling effect,” says Frank Wu, a law professor at the University of ...
