How Europe wants to gain US scientists and protect academic freedom
Ekaterina Zaharieva: EU commissioner for research, innovation and innovation in the U.S. and its relationship with the United States
For decades, one country more than any other has been a magnet for global research talent. The United States became the world’s science and technology power by funding students and researchers not only from inside its borders, but from around the world, to study, experiment, innovate, found companies and scale them up. The environment has created landmark scientific achievements and science driven prosperity. As Marcia McNutt, president of the US National Academy of Sciences, has observed (M. McNutt Proc. The National Acad. is the Natl Acad. Sci. USA 21, e2321322120; 2023), it would be surprising if the United States didn’t win science Nobels in any given year.
Zaharieva’s tenure comes at a turbulent time: Europe is trying to bolster its defences against Russia and boost its lagging economic performance. Research is seen as important to achieving both goals. The bloc has a rocky relationship with the United States. The administration of President Donald Trump has disdain for Europe. A lot of US scientists are thinking about leaving due to its dismantling of science programmes. The EU is interested in them, says Zaharieva.
Ekaterina Zaharieva is the European Union’s new commissioner for start-ups, research and innovation. She took office in the month of December after a long career in the government.
The successor to the EUs 93.5-billion (US$101-billion) Horizon Europe research programme is one of the main jobs of the commissioner.
The budget and plan is expected to be decided this year. There is a debate on whether the programme should be subsumed into a broader EU competiveness fund to revive the economy. Some scientists worry that this could switch the focus from research to meeting immediate economic needs.
