Northeastern University President Joseph E. Aoun joined forces with 50 other university presidents and industry leaders on May 22, signing a joint statement urging the federal government to restore crucial funding for research.
The statement, titled “A Renewed Call to Action,” was released by the Council on Competitiveness and signals an urgent need to revitalize the United States’ innovation system amid global disruptions and competition, particularly from China.
According to the statement, reclaiming U.S. leadership in significant industries like science and technology requires reinvestment in research, infrastructure, and talent.
Recent years have seen Northeastern University caught in the conflicts stemming from the Trump administration’s policies, which have included executive orders that limit federal research funding and specifically target certain research topics.
A February investigation led by Senator Ted Cruz highlighted that nearly $14 million of Northeastern’s National Science Foundation (NSF) grants were labeled as “neo-Marxist propaganda.”
As of May 21, approximately 40 of the university’s 900 federal research grants have been terminated, demonstrating the impact of these funding cuts.
In the wake of these challenges, Aoun—a member of the Council on Competitiveness, alongside influential leaders including the CEO of PepsiCo and the president of Tufts University—stressed the importance of immediate action.
“Today, the United States confronts geopolitical turmoil and transformation, and its most significant competitor in nearly 250 years: China,” the statement emphasizes, noting that China aims to reshape the global economy and dominate emerging technologies.
Additionally, the joint statement points out that the U.S. federal investment in research and development (R&D) for STEM fields has plummeted from nearly 2% of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) in the 1960s to just 0.7% today.
Over the decades, while funding cuts have become the norm, adversaries have significantly increased their investments, leading to a decrease in U.S. global competitiveness.
As a Tier 1 research university, a classification awarded by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, Northeastern allocates at least $50 million a year for R&D and produces over 70 research doctorates.
The university conducts multiple research projects funded by federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
In response to the funding landscape, the Trump administration has introduced several executive orders that not only halt NSF grants but also restrict funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)-related research.
Many of these executive orders currently face legal challenges.
Historically, since World War II, the U.S. has maintained a dominant position in the science and technology sector through strategic partnerships and co-investments involving governments, national laboratories, industry partners, and universities.
These collaborations have been instrumental in fostering economic growth, creating millions of high-value jobs, and establishing a robust military while simultaneously promoting innovation.
The recent statement reflects a collective acknowledgment of the crucial role universities and labs play in generating new knowledge, driving economic development, and nurturing the next generation of scientists and engineers.
Addressing the urgent need for change, the letter advocates restoring federal R&D investments to 2% of the U.S. GDP, aligning with President Trump’s vision of a “Golden Age of American Innovation.”
Additionally, the signatories call for bolstered investments in dual-use technologies such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and semiconductors, alongside enhancing international technology alliances and streamlining bureaucratic processes for research.
Furthermore, a modernized “National Defense Education Act 2.0” is proposed to expand STEM education and talent development.
The May 22 statement marks the second occasion on which Aoun has signed a letter advocating for increased R&D funding, following his endorsement of a previous statement titled “A Call for Constructive Engagement” on April 23.
That letter denounced the Trump administration for potentially jeopardizing American higher education and academic freedom amid regulatory threats.
The collective sentiment emphasized the need for addressing rising regulatory mandates, burdensome administrative requirements, and significant cuts to science agency budgets, which collectively threaten the foundational research infrastructure critical for maintaining America’s innovation capacity.
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