Cleveland, Ohio — In laboratories at Ohio State University, where astronomers prepare for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope launch, and in the medical centers of Case Western Reserve University, where researchers are developing new methods to fight cancer, hopes for scientific breakthroughs face a grim reality. The proposed cuts in federal funding by the Trump administration — a 47% reduction for NASA scientific programs, a 56% cut for the National Science Foundation (NSF), and significant restrictions for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) — threaten to deal a devastating blow to research institutions in Ohio. These cuts, which Congress is reviewing this week, July 3, 2025, could halt progress in medicine, astronomy, and technology, weakening the U.S. position on the global stage and leaving an entire generation of scientists without resources to continue their work.
Economic and Scientific Shock
The proposed 2026 budget, if approved by Congress, jeopardizes the future of seven Ohio research-focused universities, which, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education, could lose over $106 million solely due to NIH funding cuts. Ohio State University faces a loss of nearly $50 million, while Case Western Reserve University could miss out on $39 million. The University of Cincinnati risks losing $16 million, and smaller institutions such as Kent State University, Ohio University, University of Toledo, and University of Dayton will face cuts ranging from $148,000 to $1 million. According to Sara Kilpatrick, executive director of the Ohio Conference of the American Association of University Professors, the total NIH funding cut in Ohio could reach half a billion dollars. “These are not just numbers,” she said in an interview with News5Cleveland. “It’s job losses, brain drain, and a halt to research that saves lives.”
Similarly, NSF cuts are equally catastrophic. Since April 2025, over 1,600 active grants totaling $1.5 billion have been canceled, according to Grant Watch. These grants support fundamental research in fields like computer science, mathematics, and physics, which, in the words of Ohio State University astronomy professor David Weinberg, form the foundation of “a steady stream of medical miracles and technological breakthroughs Americans have become accustomed to.” He cautioned: “If these cuts go through, the era of American scientific leadership will essentially end.”
Impact on Astronomy and the Future of Science
Particularly painful are NASA funding cuts, which threaten flagship projects like the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope scheduled for launch in October 2026. This telescope, developed in part by Ohio State University’s astronomy faculty, aims to study dark energy and exoplanets. But a proposed 47% budget reduction could cut project funding in half, raising doubts about its completion. “We have a mission that’s nearly ready,” said Professor Todd Thompson. “The idea that it might not happen because of budget constraints is bad for science and for training students.”
Ohio State University’s Department of Astronomy, which trains 30 graduate students—more than half of whom depend on federal grants—may be on the brink of survival. “If funding is cut threefold, that’s the end,” Thompson said. “We won’t be able to support our students, which means fewer research opportunities and fewer highly qualified graduates fueling the economy.” According to the Federal Reserve, federal investments in research generate returns of 150% to 300%, supporting economic growth and job creation.
Medical Research Under Threat
NIH funding cuts, including restrictions on indirect costs up to 15% (although this initiative was temporarily blocked by a federal judge), threaten medical research in Ohio. Case Western Reserve University, known for its work on new cancer treatments and neurological disorders, already feels the impact. “These investments literally save lives,” said a university spokesperson in a statement. “Grant cuts affect our labs and teams working on breakthroughs in healthcare.” According to United for Medical Research, each dollar invested by NIH in research generates $2.56 in economic activity, making these cuts not only a scientific but also an economic disaster.
The University of Cincinnati, where researchers develop innovations in pediatrics and cardiology, could lose $16 million, threatening projects involving hundreds of students and supporting thousands of jobs in the region. “This will weaken Ohio as well as the entire country,” Kilpatrick emphasized. “We have always been at the forefront of scientific discovery, but these cuts place us in a vulnerable position on the world stage.”
Political Context and Community Reaction
The funding reductions are part of a broader Trump administration policy aimed at “eliminating ideological research” and increasing science efficiency, according to White House Office of Science and Technology Policy director Michael Kratsios. Critics, however, argue that canceling grants related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), as well as climate research, is a political maneuver that threatens fundamental science. In May 2025, federal judge Indra Talwani in Boston declared NSF restrictions on indirect costs “arbitrary and capricious,” giving universities a temporary reprieve. The fight continues, as Congress must approve the budget by the end of the week.
In Cleveland, which recently marked the 100th anniversary of Hopkins Airport and hosted cultural festivals such as “Opera in the Italian Garden,” these cuts are seen as a blow to the city’s ambitions to become a center of innovation. Local leaders, including City Council member Mike Polensek, urge Congress to reject the proposed reductions. “Ohio is not just the ‘Rust Belt,’” Polensek told Cleveland.com. “We are a hub of research and education, and these cuts threaten our future.”
Looking to the Future
Students like Amber McCoy from the University of Michigan, whose air pollution research was canceled due to NSF grant suspension, see these cuts as personal losses. Professors such as Terrell Morton of the University of Illinois, whose projects involve engaging Black students in STEM, are sounding alarms about the future of diversity in science. Ohio universities, from the state college system to Dayton, are preparing for staff and project cuts, which could lead to losing talented individuals to states with greater private resources, like California or Massachusetts.
As Congress prepares to vote, Ohio’s scientific community is mobilizing. Ohio State University and Case Western Reserve University have joined a coalition of institutions filing lawsuits against NSF and NIH cuts, citing violations of the America COMPETES Act, which mandates supporting diversity in STEM. “We cannot afford to let our scientific leadership fade,” Weinberg said. “This is not just about Ohio, but about America’s future.”
In a city that recently endured the tragedy at Euclid Beach and celebrated cultural festivals, these cuts serve as a reminder of the fragility of progress. If Congress approves the budget proposed by the White House, Ohio risks losing not only millions of dollars but also its role as a hub of innovation, leaving telescopes without data, laboratories unfunded, and students without a future in science.
