President Donald Trump’s staff members claim they’re drawing up a plan to greatly reduce government spending.
This plan includes some major reduction to funding for the departments of commerce and energy.
At the Department of Energy, the plan would roll back funding for nuclear physics and advanced scientific computing research to 2008 levels, eliminate the Office of Electricity, eliminate the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and scrap the Office of Fossil Energy, which focuses on technologies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Trump nominated former Texas Gov. Rick Perry to head the Department of Energy.
Earlier in his political career, Perry made comments that undermine the necessity of renewable energy research and the validity of climate change, calling it a “contrived phony mess.”
But, in more recent statements, he reversed his dismissive attitude toward the energy department and now has a supportive and protective stance on the department he controls.
According to the Wisconsin Energy Institute, the University of Wisconsin is among the top university recipients of U.S. Department of Energy research funding and funding for energy-related research from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense.
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UW energy research activities are interdisciplinary in nature and involve faculty, researchers and students in engineering, chemistry, geology, physics, life sciences, business, economics, environmental studies and public policy.
If funding for the Department of Energy is cut, it could mean federally funded research at our university may not be able to continue.
This future policy from the new administration is extremely pertinent to the current world climate of energy sustainability efforts.
The U.S. is concentrated with some of the most advanced technologies, most diverse talents and friendliest academic environments. It should set an example in combating the energy crisis that developing countries most experience.
The American people and their government should all consider these things before they make any further decisions regarding the future of scientific research in this country and on our campus.
Grace Li ([email protected]) is a freshman majoring in biomedical engineering.
