SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
From his attacks on universities to the slashing of federal research funding to the broadening crackdown on international students, a number of President Trump's actions have scientists questioning whether there is a future for them and their research in the United States. One researcher in Europe says this is an opportunity. In an article in the journal Nature, Maria Mota argues that European countries should seize this moment and bring concerned scientists to the EU. Mota is the executive director of the Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine in Lisbon, Portugal, and joins me now to talk more about this. Welcome to the program.
MARIA MOTA: Thank you. Thank you so much for hosting me.
DETROW: So you referred to New York, to the United States as this beacon of research. We've talked to top academics in the U.S. in this moment about this, and they argued that for a century or so, the U.S. has held this unique role in international research. Have you seen it that way, from your perspective?
MOTA: Of course, no doubt about it. I think United States have been a driver for - the beacon, a driver - whatever term you want to use. We can be as positive as you want.
DETROW: Yeah.
MOTA: United States have been really the excellence of research. That's saying that - we cannot say that there are not in other parts of the world and, of course, Europe. But as a whole, United States have been - you know, have many centers of excellence, many centers of exceptional researchers. So it's really something that, even for young people, you know, you are looking for to - you know, to be there.
DETROW: And yet, in this moment, you've written that you have received 10 times the normal amount of inquiries from scientists in the U.S. asking about job opportunities. What are they telling you? Why are they reaching out to you?
MOTA: So they are worried. I think established people, people that are obviously establishing certain research centers, probably they are worried with future of U.S. But the ones that are establishing now, you know, are very worried there will be opportunities or not. And I think, now, many of these young that are transitioning from a post doc - that usually a period that we develop after doing our Ph.D.s - they are worried that these opportunities will not be there. I think some of them that have just done this transition in the past couple of years are now still very worried that, you know, their career cannot really fully flourish in the environment that is being created. And I think these doubts, these anxiety makes people start to look for other opportunities.
DETROW: You have written this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the EU to recruit American scientists. What do you think the most important thing that EU countries need to do in this moment is?
MOTA: I'm talking about more funding and a better ecosystem, that things move fast, that, you know, researchers that want to come here will not have visa problems for six or eight months. This would be one type of problem. People that are entrepreneurs and they have good ideas and would love to develop, you know, ideas into companies - this and that - would have their life facilitated and will have type of fundings that come from public and private that will allow them to do this.
But I also would like to leave a message that is very clear. When I say that we should seize this opportunity, I'm not saying that we are happy. And we are not at all happy of what is happening in the United States. I think it would be so much better to have the United States continuing to be a beacon. But it's true that, at the moment, what you hear happening is that we have really bright minds that don't know what will be the next years in their lives. And I think, you know, we should give them an hand. We should give them an opportunity. What we want is the entire world, of course, produce knowledge. But I think now, at the moment is - and with so many scientists really having, you know, this lack of opportunities in a part of the world that used to be full of opportunities, I think Europe needs to - I really hope that they feel that is the push that they needed to really go back to an environment that, you know, allows scientists to make the biggest discoveries in the world.
DETROW: That is Maria Mota, executive director of the Gulbenkian Institute for Molecular Medicine in Lisbon. Thank you so much.
MOTA: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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