The NSF terminates multiple MIT-affiliated grants
One research grant studies the cause of misinformation on social media
Vivian Hir–The Tech
On April 18, the National Science Foundation (NSF) terminated an MIT-affiliated grant titled “Promoting Accurate Information on Social Media.” Conducted by Professor of Political Science Adam Berinsky and Professor of Management Science & Brain and Cognitive Sciences David Rand, the research project studies the underlying reasons behind people accepting or rejecting misinformation, as well as methods to correct misinformation.
The grant began July 1, 2021, and it has an end date of June 30, 2025. According to USAspending, the obligated amount is $881,188 and the outlayed amount is $513,101. Berinsky and Rand did not provide further comment to The Tech.
The termination letter, which was obtained by The Tech, stated that the award was terminated to “protect the interests of the government,” as the award does not “effectuate the program goals or agency priorities.” The letter emphasized that the decision was final and not subject to appeal.
Caroline Perry, Director of Communications for the MIT Office of the Vice President for Research (VPR), stated that the office has been in contact with Berinsky and Rand regarding the grant termination. According to Perry, a “small number” of MIT-affiliated NSF grants have also been terminated. In an interview on April 30, President Sally Kornbluth commended Berinsky and Rand for their “critical” research on misinformation. “We support a wide range of intellectual and academic activities, and we will continue to do so now,” she said.
The termination is a result of the NSF’s recent announcement on April 18 that the organization would terminate awards that “are not aligned with the NSF’s priorities.” These terminations include awards related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) or combating misinformation. As a result, around 400 grants were terminated that day, which amounted to around $233 million dollars.
Many of these grants focused on improving STEM education for students from underrepresented backgrounds, including women and minorities. Others focused on addressing issues such as environmental and racial justice. Some grants studied misinformation on social media, fact checking, and the detection of deepfakes.
On April 25, an additional 700 grants were terminated after NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan resigned on April 24. “I believe I have done all I can to advance the critical mission of the agency,” Panchanathan wrote in his statement.
Previously, on February 11, U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-TX) released a database of NSF grants that he alleged were linked to DEI initiatives. Cruz requested “significant scrutiny” of these awards. As of May 1, the list includes thirteen active grants for research groups from MIT. Cruz’s database, which Democratic staffers in the House of Representatives criticized for being “erroneous” and “McCarthyistic” in a recent report, does not include Berinsky and Rand’s grant.
The MIT Office of the VPR has been closely monitoring federally funded MIT research projects including stop-work orders, changes to the award’s scope, changes to the award’s terms, or delays in administrative actions such as grant reviews.
According to the MIT Office of the VPR, researchers whose NSF awards have been terminated should notify their DLCI’s leadership team and the RAS Contract Administrator. Questions about changes to federal research policy may be sent to research-policy-questions@mit.edu.
This is a developing story. If you have been affected by changes to NSF funding, email tt-news-editors@mit.edu.