If we gut science, where will the discoveries of the future come from?

A two-year college student once washed dishes in a restaurant across the street from us. As he waited for the bus home, he’d glance at our buildings and wonder what went on inside. One day, a teacher encouraged him to apply for one of our internship programs, and he spent that summer conducting gene therapy research. Another intern, a first-generation college student from a rural background, studied how cells avoid influenza infection — and was inspired to pursue a Ph.D. A single mom who was attending community college and working in a grocery store had an opportunity to intern in a pancreatic cancer lab.

These students and many more have been able to work in our labs thanks to funding by the National Institutes of Health — the world’s largest public funder of biomedical research. Their stories aren’t anomalies — they demonstrate what’s possible when young people are given meaningful opportunities to explore science. 

As leaders of science education programs at nonprofit research institutions in Washington, we see firsthand the power of hands-on scientific experience to transform lives. Each year, our labs and those of our peers host hundreds of high school and college students. For many, geography, income and other barriers have put these opportunities out of reach, especially for individuals from underrepresented communities in science. Science education programs help break down those barriers. Broadening participation isn’t just fair; it expands the talent pool and makes science stronger. Studies show that teams with varied backgrounds and perspectives produce more innovative and impactful results. But the very programs that open these doors are among the most vulnerable to budget cuts. Without stable funding, these efforts — and the future scientists they support — are in jeopardy.

Last year alone, the NIH awarded $1.26 billion to Washington state biomedical research institutions. These investments not only save lives but also generate over $3 billion annually in economic activity. But that progress is under threat. NIH grants in Washington have already been canceled or delayed. Additional cuts are proposed to grant “indirect costs,” which support critical infrastructure like buildings, labs, electricity and support staff. Cutting them jeopardizes everything from data storage to high-tech equipment — and would represent hundreds of millions of dollars lost. Institutions are responding by freezing hiring, admitting fewer graduate students and preparing for layoffs.

The damage doesn’t stop there. Scientific agencies are being dismantled. Ten percent of the National Science Foundation’s workforce has been cut. The Department of Health and Human Services is set to eliminate 10,000 jobs, shutter half of its regional offices and slash 1,200 NIH positions, including key institute directors. More than 100 clinical trials, including those focused on cancer, have been disrupted. Nearly 400 federally funded research grants have been revoked or suspended, with over $12 billion in state and local health funding also at risk.

These losses are happening right now, and they will have lasting consequences. The uncertainty has left researchers and students in limbo. Training grants are vanishing, programs are being suspended and early career scientists are rethinking their futures. Even short funding gaps can drive talented individuals out of science entirely. That doesn’t just hurt the scientific community — it hurts all of us.

Science and education require long-term, sustained investment. The student in a lab today may one day shape public policy, develop treatments or discover the next lifesaving cure. That mom who interned in the pancreatic cancer lab? She now has a job with us and plans to go to graduate school in science. 

Now is the time to act. Call your representatives and urge them to protect and expand support for science, science education and scientific workforce development. Vote for leaders who champion research and evidence-based decision-making. Donate to local research organizations and their education programs. Mentor a student exploring science.

History will judge us by whether we spoke out and stood up for scientific discovery and for the next generation of scientists. Will you join us?  

The opinions expressed in this op-ed are solely those of the authors.