Federal research money to UC Berkeley is on ice again after the National Science Foundation suddenly put a fresh batch of campus grants on hold, including support for work at the Lawrence Hall of Science. The pause landed just as museum staff and researchers were gearing up for a mid‑May launch of new exhibits, instantly reviving legal worries and budget jitters across campus.
Local reporting says the NSF notified UC Berkeley in April that it had flagged and suspended awards, and that some researchers were told the move was tied to concerns over “foreign funding.” The outlet Berkeleyside reports the agency halted at least 18 Berkeley grants. According to that report, the NSF declined to comment, while UC officials said the university is working with federal agencies as it tries to stay in line with federal rules.
Lawrence Hall Project At Risk
Among the awards swept up in the latest freeze is the Lawrence Hall of Science’s mixed‑reality project that centers on Ohlone youth. The work is co‑led by Jedda Foreman, UC researchers, and the mak‑’amham/Cafe Ohlone collective. Court filings spell out which awards were terminated or suspended and show that hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding were still outstanding when the NSF stepped in. Federal records tracking the campus litigation list specific award numbers and unpaid balances tied to Lawrence Hall efforts.
The museum’s own newsroom highlights the collaboration, credits Ohlone partners on the mixed‑reality exhibits, and lists the Lawrence Hall of Science’s address as 1 Centennial Drive in Berkeley. Project details and background are laid out in documents, per the Lawrence Hall of Science.
Why The NSF Flagged Awards
The NSF has tightened its review of grants in line with updated agency priorities and research‑security rules, and it says it can suspend awards while it reviews disclosures about foreign support or other compliance issues. Guidance from the NSF outlines how and when it may pause or terminate awards during those checks.
Broader Shake‑Up In Federal Science Oversight
The Berkeley suspensions are landing in the middle of a much larger shake‑up in federal science oversight. In late April, the White House dismissed the National Science Board, rattling researchers across the country and aligning with a broader slowdown in new NSF awards. Reporting in Nature details how that move has magnified uncertainty inside the NSF and across academia.
Legal Implications
UC Berkeley researchers are already part of ongoing litigation over earlier mass cancellations of grants. Court filings argue that agencies leaned on form letters and keyword searches to flag awards, and that many scientists received little or no grant‑specific explanation for why their funding was pulled. Materials posted on ucresearchergrantterminations.com show that plaintiffs previously won relief that restored some awards, while warning that repeat suspensions raise new administrative and constitutional issues.
University leaders say they are working with federal officials to sort out the latest reviews, even as researchers scramble to cover payroll and keep projects on schedule. On campus, advocates have urged state lawmakers to create a large state‑level research fund, a proposal supporters argue could help buffer UC labs from federal whiplash if it clears the Legislature. That push has been chronicled by Berkeleyside.
