At the same time, the international interest of working in the United States has decreased considerably. During the first quarter of the year, scientists’ applications from Canada, China and American research centers in the United States dropped by 13%, 39%and 41%respectively.
In this context, European institutions have intensified their efforts to attract American talents. Aix-Marseille University in France has recently launched a safe place for Science, a program aimed at welcoming American researchers, censored or limited by Trump’s policies. This project is supported with an investment of around 15 million euros.
In the same vein, the Max Planck Society in Germany announced the creation of the Max Planck Transatlantic Program, the aim of which is to establish joint research centers with American institutions. “Exceptional investigators who have to leave the United States, we will consider for posts of director,” said the director of the company Patrick Cramer, in a discourse discussing the program.
Spain is looking for a leading role
Juan Cruz Cigudosa, Secretary of State of State for Sciences, Innovation and Universities, stressed that Spain is also actively involved in the attraction of global scientific talents, and favors areas such as quantum biotechnology, artificial intelligence, advanced materials and semiconductors, as well as everything that strengthens the technological sovereign of the country.
To achieve this, the government of Pedro Sánchez has strengthened the existing programs. The ATRAE program – which aims to encourage established researchers to bring their work to Spain – has been strengthened with 45 million euros to recruit scientists who are leaders in strategic fields, with particular accent on American experts who feel “despised”. This program offers additional funding of 200,000 euros per project to those selected in the United States.
Likewise, the Ramón Y Cajal program – carried out 25 years ago to continue the career of young scientists – has increased its funding by 150% since 2018, allowing 500 researchers to be funded per year, 30% of which are foreigners.
“We are going to intensify efforts to attract the talents of the United States. We want them to come to do the best possible science, without ideological restrictions. Scientific and technological knowledge makes us a better country, because it generates a shared prosperity and a vision of the future of the scientific program of Choose Europe.
This story originally appeared on Cable in Spanish and was translated from Spanish.
