The Coming Hangover: Magnified Effects of Sequestration on Research Enterprises

Abstract

As of March 1, 2013 the US government is taking an $85 billion budget cut. Also referred as the “sequestration”, this automatic spending cut policy might continue for several upcoming years and potentially affect many industries, including the research enterprise. The cut is expected to reflect in the budget of federal agencies that support research activities, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). For a wide range of structural reasons, discussed in this commentary, the impacts of the budget cut on research enterprises can be magnified.