The National Science Foundation (NSF) suspended at least 18 research grants to the University of California, Berkeley, in April, despite a federal court injunction restricting such actions, according to an attorney representing university scientists in a class-action lawsuit. The NSF declined to comment on the suspensions.
Grant for Indigenous exhibits among those affected
One of the suspended grants is for a series of mixed-reality exhibits at the Lawrence Hall of Science that showcase Indigenous Ohlone knowledge about the natural world. Jedda Foreman, an associate director at the Lawrence Hall of Science and a leader of the project, said the NSF had previously canceled this grant, but a federal court ordered its restoration. On April 17, another researcher on her team received an email from UC Berkeley’s vice chancellor of research, Katherine Yelick, notifying them that the NSF had suspended the $1.4 million grant. The email cited concerns about “foreign funding” but provided no further details. Foreman stated that the Lawrence Hall of Science had not received any foreign funding for the project.
Claudia Polsky, a professor at UC Berkeley School of Law representing Foreman and other researchers in a lawsuit contesting earlier grant cancellations, expressed concern that the suspension may violate a court order. The order, issued by U.S. District Judge Rita Lin in June 2025, restored defunded projects and barred agencies from revoking funds using form letters without specific explanations or due to anti-DEI executive orders.
Impact on exhibits and research
One of the Ohlone exhibits is scheduled to open on May 17, with another planned for fall 2028. Researchers are also studying whether participation in creating exhibits sparks interest in science among Indigenous youth and encourages STEM careers. Foreman said, “We’re doing a lot of hoping and finger-crossing that something works out. It was such a powerful project and we really want to be able to share what we’ve learned.”
Broader context of federal funding volatility
The University of California received $525 million in NSF grants in the 2024-25 budget year, but funding has become increasingly volatile under the second Trump administration. The NSF has terminated nearly 2,000 grants nationwide, targeting those related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. In late April, President Trump fired all 22 members of the independent board overseeing the NSF and proposed cutting the agency’s budget by more than half in 2027, though Congress rejected a similar plan last year.
Other federal agencies, including the Department of Energy, National Institutes of Health, and Environmental Protection Agency, also terminated grants en masse last year. Some cancellations have been reversed by courts. UC researchers are contesting these reversals in a class-action lawsuit filed last year, though the University of California itself is not a party.
Legal challenges and alternative funding
Judge Lin previously ruled that indefinitely suspending a grant is equivalent to terminating it, requiring reinstatement. Polsky said the latest suspension raises concerns that the Trump administration is seeking ways around court orders. “It seems to us like something that should not have been canceled on the merits and raises suspicion that this was just a different way to cancel the grant,” she said.
Meanwhile, the University of California is seeking alternative funding. On Monday, UC President James Milliken joined state Sen. Scott Wiener and United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain at a rally supporting a state bill to create a $23 billion fund for scientific research. If successful, the bond measure would appear on the November ballot, funding research in wildfire preparedness, pandemic response, and medical treatments. The state assembly’s appropriations committee is set to consider the bill on May 14.
UC provost Katherine Newman told regents she has been meeting with leaders of the UK’s Russell Group to discuss collaborations on climate change, clean energy, and public health—areas where federal funding is threatened.
