As the Trump Administration with Elon Musk’s DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) seeks to cut federal government employee roles, “probationary employees” (those who have not held jobs long enough to garner full civil service job protections) are among those targeted for layoffs. This can include probationary employees at the U.S. Department of Energy and Department of Defense and their national labs, which house supercomputing resources.
A lab employee, asked to describe the current atmosphere at the lab where they work, told us employees “are terrified” at the prospect of job and career loss. Longer term, there is heightened concern about the labs attracting top-level computer science and AI talent. This is a problem of long standing for the labs because corporate technology jobs usually have significantly higher salaries. But with federal employees under the cloud of job insecurity, the corporate side has an even more decided advantage.
Into this situation has come a statement condemning the DOGE-led job cuts from the Coalition for Academic Scientific Computation, a Washington, DC-based organization with 108 member institutions, including several DOE national labs.
CASC issued the following today:
CASC stands with leading higher education and scientifi c organizations in expressing profound concern over the recent, indiscriminate termination of thousands of employees at key federal science agencies. These actions jeopardize full America’s longstanding position as a global leader in scientifi c research and innovation—achievements that have been made possible through consistent federal investment in the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Energy (DOE) and other vital agencies.
America’s leadership in scientifi c development has been built on sustained funding for agencies like NIH, NSF, and DOE. These institutions fuel groundbreaking discoveries that save lives, promote economic growth, and ensure U.S. competitiveness on the world stage. The changes underway at NIH and NSF represent fundamental shifts in the American scientifi c support model, and their eff ects on scientifi c progress could resonate for decades.
The Trump administration has dismissed large numbers of probationary employees across the federal government, with the scientifi c workforce bearing the brunt. Reports indicate that more than 1,200 employees were let go from NIH, nearly 170 from NSF, and over 1,000 from the Department of Energy, in addition to dismissals at other agencies such as the U.S. Geological Survey. These sudden, sweeping cuts undermine the critical infrastructure that underpins American scientifi c progress, disrupting ongoing research vital to public health, national security, and technological innovation. Severing funding for projects, fi ring scientists and researchers, and reducing student opportunities will stifl e innovation that contributes to a healthier, safer, and more productive society, while hindering our understanding of basic scientifi c phenomena.
CASC and its member institutions stand resolutely in support of NIH, NSF, and all federal science agencies that drive the nation’s research and development eff orts. With over one hundred institutions dedicated to advancing computational science with the latest supercomputing and high-performance computing technologies, CASC believes these drastic changes will limit our ability to support innovation and discovery, with far-reaching consequences. The large-scale dismissal of highly trained professionals threatens America’s scientifi c, technological, and innovative leadership, especially at a time when international competition is intensifying.
“We strongly condemn this action, which undermines the foundation of American scientifi c leadership,” said Richard Knepper, chair of CASC. “The loss of so many dedicated professionals in such a short period creates immediate disruptions and long-term damage to the nation’s research enterprise. We urge Congress and the administration to take swift action to restore these critical positions and reaffi rm the country’s commitment to scientifi c excellence.”
CASC calls on policymakers to recognize the indispensable role of federal scientists and to ensure that research agencies remain fully staff ed and adequately supported. The future of U.S. innovation, economic growth, and global leadership depends on it.
The Coalition for Academic Scientifi c Computation (CASC) is a nonprofi t organization representing over 105 member institutions, including some of the most innovative universities and research computing centers in the United States. For 35 years, CASC has advocated for advanced computing technologies to accelerate scientifi c discovery, enhance national competitiveness, strengthen global security, and support economic growth.
