The Trump-appointed head of the National Science Foundation abruptly resigned on Thursday, telling staff that he’s “done all I can do to advance the mission of the agency.”
Sethuraman Panchanathan’s departure as foundation director comes during a tumultuous time for federal agencies, as the quasi-governmental Department of Government Efficiency pushes for deep cuts to the federal workforce and funding for various agency projects.
In a statement about his resignation Thursday, Panchanathan — who was appointed in 2020 during Trump’s first administration to a six-year term — did not speak directly to DOGE’s efforts, though he noted that NSF “must not lose our competitive edge.”
“I believe that I have done all I can to advance the mission of the agency and feel that it is time for me to pass the baton to new leadership,” Panchanathan said.
He added: “This is a pivotal moment for our nation in terms of global competitiveness. NSF is an extremely important investment to make U.S. scientific dominance a reality. We must not lose our competitive edge.”
The National Science Foundation, which seeks to bolster national security through the advancement of scientific research and education, announced this month that it would cancel hundreds of grants totaling more than $230 million, CNN reported.
In a statement describing agency “updates” last week, the foundation said the types of grants being eliminated “are not aligned with NSF’s priorities.” Those include but are “not limited to those on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and misinformation/disinformation,” according to the statement.
