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French university offers jobs to American scientists afraid of government censorship

The program previously offered refuge to researchers in exile from Ukraine, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Palestine.

By

Erik Barnes

By  Erik Barnes
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Photo credit: LinkedIn/Canva – AMU is offering a lifeline to American scientists who want to continue their research.

As the current federal government in the U.S. has been freezing or cutting funding for several research grants, a French university has stepped in with an offer for American scientists. Aix Marseille University (AMU) is offering a program for them to continue projects that have been compromised or cut off.

“The program is called ‘Safe Place for Science,’ and will provide 15 million Euros in funding for some 15 researchers over a 3-year period,” said Clara Bufi, a spokesperson for Aix Marseille University, in an interview with 404 Media. “It targets, but is not limited to, climate and environment, health, and human and social sciences.”

Among other aspects of the federal government, President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has specifically targeted scientific research funding in the search for wasteful spending. One example is when DOGE, in tandem with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zedlin, cut $60 million from 20 environmental grants and did another cut of 21 additional grants to a total of $116 million in cuts. One of the reasons for this, as The Guardian reported, President Trump intends to withdraw funding from research involving the climate. It should be important to note that amidst all of this, there is uncertainty in whether DOGE’s actions are effective and/or legal, as several lawyers, courts, and articles have pointed out.

Aix Marseille University making this offer is seen as a lifeboat for scientists during this tumultuous time, to be assured that they not only have proper funding but secure jobs. Per Marie Renaudeau on AMU’s website, they wish to offer Americans “an environment conducive to innovation, excellence, and academic freedom,” along with “cutting-edge infrastructures, major international collaborations, and strong support for scientists working on groundbreaking, forward-looking themes.” Since many issues such as climate change are a global problem that isn’t subject to borders, AMU sees funding such research as a worldwide benefit.

In an interview with AFPTV, university president Eric Berton expressed disappointment that he had to make this “recruitment call” for academics working on “sensitive subjects such as the climate, social sciences, and the humanities in general.” He also expressed concern over non-American scientists who were originally hired to work on these American projects.

“The risk these researchers face is that their projects will lose funding and that they themselves—if they are foreigners—will have to return to their home countries,” he said. “It is a real danger.”

Eric Berton social media post
University President Eric Berton hopes to encourage additional climate research. Photo credit: LinkedIn

This isn’t the first time AMU has supported foreign scientific research. Similar offers have been made and accepted to house and fund scientists and their studies through their PAUSE program, such as Ukrainian biologists and other scientists from Afghanistan, Yemen, and Palestine. As the current American administration appears to make more cuts to scientific research, the offer becomes more and more enticing to American scientists.

Time will tell to see who will be accepting Aix Marseille University’s offer or if DOGE’s proposed cuts face interference in Congress and American courts. In either case, it appears that research will still continue on climate issues and measures one way or another.

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