AZ Faust
@azfaust.bsky.social
Mostly about grants. Some about education.
The conference (agreement between House and Senate) appropriations bill that includes HHS and NIH was released this morning.
www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/majorit...
1/5
www.appropriations.senate.gov/news/majorit...
1/5
Committee Releases Conferenced Defense, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Bi...
United States Senate Committee on Appropriations
www.appropriations.senate.gov
January 20, 2026 at 4:38 PM
Reposted by AZ Faust
What's been lost, so far.
"Program officers steward research portfolios. They don’t just process applications. They understand scientific contexts, see connections across studies, mentor investigators, and help translate broad priorities into fundable research programs."
substack.com/inbox/post/1...
"Program officers steward research portfolios. They don’t just process applications. They understand scientific contexts, see connections across studies, mentor investigators, and help translate broad priorities into fundable research programs."
substack.com/inbox/post/1...
When Experts Leave: What NIH Lost in 2025
I remember moments like this from my 22 years at NIH.
substack.com
January 19, 2026 at 4:25 PM
What's been lost, so far.
"Program officers steward research portfolios. They don’t just process applications. They understand scientific contexts, see connections across studies, mentor investigators, and help translate broad priorities into fundable research programs."
substack.com/inbox/post/1...
"Program officers steward research portfolios. They don’t just process applications. They understand scientific contexts, see connections across studies, mentor investigators, and help translate broad priorities into fundable research programs."
substack.com/inbox/post/1...
Reposted by AZ Faust
I was today years old when I found out that Knut Hamsun gave away his Nobel Prize medal, too -- to Joseph Goebbels in 1943.
January 16, 2026 at 1:50 PM
I was today years old when I found out that Knut Hamsun gave away his Nobel Prize medal, too -- to Joseph Goebbels in 1943.
Reposted by AZ Faust
I have been modeling the impact of multi-year funding.
Based on fairly reasonable assumptions, 50% multi-year funding, the number of new and competing awards is anticipated to drop to approximately 6000 compared to 10,000 had there been no multi-year funding above the historical background rate.
Based on fairly reasonable assumptions, 50% multi-year funding, the number of new and competing awards is anticipated to drop to approximately 6000 compared to 10,000 had there been no multi-year funding above the historical background rate.
January 13, 2026 at 1:51 PM
I have been modeling the impact of multi-year funding.
Based on fairly reasonable assumptions, 50% multi-year funding, the number of new and competing awards is anticipated to drop to approximately 6000 compared to 10,000 had there been no multi-year funding above the historical background rate.
Based on fairly reasonable assumptions, 50% multi-year funding, the number of new and competing awards is anticipated to drop to approximately 6000 compared to 10,000 had there been no multi-year funding above the historical background rate.
Reposted by AZ Faust
Clarification: Volkow was confirming the demand to fund half of their awards as multi-year funded continues in this Fiscal Year.
January 13, 2026 at 1:33 PM
Clarification: Volkow was confirming the demand to fund half of their awards as multi-year funded continues in this Fiscal Year.
I understand that the NIH funded people are disappointed that the NIH was not included in this mini-budget bill - but trust me when I tell you that it is a lot easier to put pressure on admin to fund medical research than research in pure mathematics or chemical catalysis.
*not including NIH
Congress Set to Finalize Science Budgets Rejecting Trump Cuts www.aip.org/fyi/congress...
January 12, 2026 at 4:17 PM
I understand that the NIH funded people are disappointed that the NIH was not included in this mini-budget bill - but trust me when I tell you that it is a lot easier to put pressure on admin to fund medical research than research in pure mathematics or chemical catalysis.
*Stares in ex-Yugoslavian*
*gulp*
*gulp*
I don’t see how this country survives until 2029 unless Trump is impeached and removed. This level of lawless malice is not sustainable. What fresh horrors await us this week?
January 12, 2026 at 1:38 PM
*Stares in ex-Yugoslavian*
*gulp*
*gulp*
Reposted by AZ Faust
Final FY 2026 agreement rejected the massive cuts proposed by the Administration but will still reduce science funding overall. The NSF top line is down 3.4% to $8.75 billion with research flat funded, STEM education down 20%, and facilities up 7.3%. www.aip.org/fyi/congress...
Congress Set to Finalize Science Budgets Rejecting Trump Cuts
The bipartisan deal still reduces funding for many science agencies, including NSF and NASA.
www.aip.org
January 9, 2026 at 9:01 PM
Final FY 2026 agreement rejected the massive cuts proposed by the Administration but will still reduce science funding overall. The NSF top line is down 3.4% to $8.75 billion with research flat funded, STEM education down 20%, and facilities up 7.3%. www.aip.org/fyi/congress...
NSF is part of this bill! The funding appropriated is $8.750 billion, which is a 3.9% decrease from the enacted FY2025 levels. I hate seeing any cuts to science agencies, but a 3.9% cut is better than the 60% cut proposed by Trump (which would have shuttered basic science research in the country).
House passes minibus bill to fund science agencies www.politico.com/news/2026/01... headed to Senate next
House passes three-bill spending package with weeks left to avoid a shutdown
The Senate is expected to take up the so-called “minibus” next week.
www.politico.com
January 8, 2026 at 9:29 PM
NSF is part of this bill! The funding appropriated is $8.750 billion, which is a 3.9% decrease from the enacted FY2025 levels. I hate seeing any cuts to science agencies, but a 3.9% cut is better than the 60% cut proposed by Trump (which would have shuttered basic science research in the country).
I'm really over huge omics experiments where the only goal is to generate large amounts of data without any plan to use that data to answer a question.
January 8, 2026 at 6:24 PM
I'm really over huge omics experiments where the only goal is to generate large amounts of data without any plan to use that data to answer a question.
It's absolutely bizarre that this is where we are - but this is where we are. The "free speech" crowd gave us actual forbidden speech. (yes, I am thinking of the last two points here which is what every instructor, especially if they teach at a red state uni, is asking themselves)
Asking the usual pre-semester teaching questions like:
-Why is Canvas malfunctioning?
-Doesn’t it suck Canvas scrapes your work for its AI to replace instructors?
-Do I have a printing budget?
-My pronouns are illegal now, right?
-Can I say the words “climate change” in a climatology class?
-Why is Canvas malfunctioning?
-Doesn’t it suck Canvas scrapes your work for its AI to replace instructors?
-Do I have a printing budget?
-My pronouns are illegal now, right?
-Can I say the words “climate change” in a climatology class?
January 8, 2026 at 4:29 PM
It's absolutely bizarre that this is where we are - but this is where we are. The "free speech" crowd gave us actual forbidden speech. (yes, I am thinking of the last two points here which is what every instructor, especially if they teach at a red state uni, is asking themselves)
Our kids made Lego figurines of my husband and I. Here we are enjoying a coffee in the little donut shop in Lego town.
January 7, 2026 at 3:40 AM
Our kids made Lego figurines of my husband and I. Here we are enjoying a coffee in the little donut shop in Lego town.
If we have to have Denmark's vaccine schedule, then I insist on Denmark's universal health coverage as well.
Following the recommendations of countries like Denmark, RFK Jr. has scaled back American vaccine recommendations. The thing is, countries like Denmark have a healthcare system to back up their recommendations.
RFK Jr.’s New Infatuation With a Danish Model
How MAGA fell in love with a tiny, socialist Scandinavian nation—as long as it’s just about vaccine recommendations.
lnk.thebulwark.com
January 5, 2026 at 8:18 PM
If we have to have Denmark's vaccine schedule, then I insist on Denmark's universal health coverage as well.
Sign me the f up
Instead of whatever this is, we should have a government getting lots of new homes and apartments built, lots of clean energy built, lots of high speed rail and transit and bike lanes built, human rights for everyone, economic & healthcare opportunities for all, & innovation that leads the world.
January 4, 2026 at 3:58 AM
Sign me the f up
Reposted by AZ Faust
They saw the poor planning of the Bush admin in Iraq and decided the lesson was there should be no planning at all
January 4, 2026 at 2:57 AM
They saw the poor planning of the Bush admin in Iraq and decided the lesson was there should be no planning at all
Maybe electing a government full of roided-up twitter trolls was not a good idea...
January 3, 2026 at 5:51 PM
Maybe electing a government full of roided-up twitter trolls was not a good idea...
Reposted by AZ Faust
Was worried that 2026 was going to be worse than 2025. But it could have taken a few more days to get there.
January 3, 2026 at 2:28 PM
Was worried that 2026 was going to be worse than 2025. But it could have taken a few more days to get there.
Great article. But I would say it misses one important point: you can fix all of these issues and still have the same result if you don’t fix the curriculum. What we teach matters.
As I’ve been saying, Dem candidates really need to take seriously the imperative to fix public education, or Rs will take advantage and destroy it. We can support educators and serve students, but we need to admit there’s a problem.
washingtonmonthly.com/2025/12/29/d...
washingtonmonthly.com/2025/12/29/d...
5 Hard Truths Democrats Must Face on Education
Test scores are down, learning loss is real, and inequality is growing. Here are 5 truths Democrats must face on education.
washingtonmonthly.com
December 31, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Great article. But I would say it misses one important point: you can fix all of these issues and still have the same result if you don’t fix the curriculum. What we teach matters.
Reposted by AZ Faust
Excellent news. The NIGMS Building Undergraduate Research Training (BURT) T34 NOFO is published. First due is Feb 25th, for December 26 funding. This condenses previous UG NOFOs so reach out to email/previous PO if you have Qs. files.simpler.grants.gov/opportunitie...
PAR-26-033: NIGMS Institutional Biomedical Undergraduate Research Training (BURT) Program (T34)
files.simpler.grants.gov
December 29, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Excellent news. The NIGMS Building Undergraduate Research Training (BURT) T34 NOFO is published. First due is Feb 25th, for December 26 funding. This condenses previous UG NOFOs so reach out to email/previous PO if you have Qs. files.simpler.grants.gov/opportunitie...
Me too.
Sweeping science cuts in 2025 halted clinical trials, erased public health data and forced researchers into impossible choices.
“This year nearly broke me as a scientist,” one writes.
Six researchers share their stories: buff.ly/u2MHIQo 🧪
“This year nearly broke me as a scientist,” one writes.
Six researchers share their stories: buff.ly/u2MHIQo 🧪
‘This year nearly broke me as a scientist’ – US researchers reflect on how 2025’s science cuts have changed their lives
US science lost a great deal in 2025, including tens of billions of dollars of federal funding, entire research agencies and programs, and a generation of researchers.
buff.ly
December 29, 2025 at 4:12 AM
Me too.
Reposted by AZ Faust
She let me know that they recently received guidance that, ONLY for the January EI deadline (1/27/2026) and the February ESI deadline (2/3/2026), PIs can submit MIRAs even if their previous application (R35, R01, R15, R21, and R37) is still considered under review.
December 19, 2025 at 7:17 PM
She let me know that they recently received guidance that, ONLY for the January EI deadline (1/27/2026) and the February ESI deadline (2/3/2026), PIs can submit MIRAs even if their previous application (R35, R01, R15, R21, and R37) is still considered under review.
Reposted by AZ Faust
Hey all, I reached out to the PO of my NIGMS MIRA to ask if the gov't shut down, and rescheduling of study sections, might allow for some accommodation to the standard rule that PIs cannot resubmit a MIRA while their MIRA (or other RPG) is under review (waiting in scores or summary statements) 🧪
December 19, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Hey all, I reached out to the PO of my NIGMS MIRA to ask if the gov't shut down, and rescheduling of study sections, might allow for some accommodation to the standard rule that PIs cannot resubmit a MIRA while their MIRA (or other RPG) is under review (waiting in scores or summary statements) 🧪
Reposted by AZ Faust
for those in my boat, the designation has changed on my grant from yesterday to this new pergatory
December 19, 2025 at 4:09 PM
for those in my boat, the designation has changed on my grant from yesterday to this new pergatory
Somehow I got roped into reviewing a physics proposal.
I hate past Alma so much right now.
I hate past Alma so much right now.
December 18, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Somehow I got roped into reviewing a physics proposal.
I hate past Alma so much right now.
I hate past Alma so much right now.