WASHINGTON, DC—A growing body of evidence suggests that policies resulting from post–September 11 security measures are having a negative impact on scientific research in the United States, according to speakers at an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) meeting last Friday (April 23).
“To win the war on terror, we may lose our scientific preeminence,” warned David Heyman, director of the Homeland Security Program's Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Widely reported visa delays and restrictions have been among the concerns. John J. McGowan, director of the Division of Extramural Activities at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, pointed to the Council of Graduate Schools Survey, released in March, which reported that graduate school applications from international students declined 32% in the last year. Based on responses from 113 graduate schools, the survey reported that all major countries of origin and all major fields saw declines.
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