America’s Brain Drain: Why Top Scientists Like Danielle Beckman Are Leaving The US

Growing up in Brazil, neuroscientist Danielle Beckman always dreamed of moving to the United States to pursue her research. In 2017, that dream came true when she landed a position at the California National Primate Research Center at UC Davis.

“I was so excited,” she recalled. “The US has always been the place to be, where there’s the biggest investment in science.”

But fast-forward to President Donald Trump’s second term, and Beckman’s enthusiasm has faded. As the administration wages an unprecedented assault on the nation’s top universities and research institutions, she no longer sees the US as a welcoming home for her work studying how viral infections like COVID-19 affect the brain.

Now, Beckman is looking to relocate—exploring opportunities in Germany and France.

She’s part of a growing wave of scientists, researchers, and academics abandoning the US in what many warn could be the largest brain drain in decades. While the US loses talent, the rest of the world stands to gain.

Countries across Europe, Asia, and North America are rolling out the red carpet to attract these fleeing scientists. The European Union, for example, has pledged €500 million ($562 million) over the next three years “to make Europe a magnet for researchers.” A university in Marseille, France, is inviting persecuted academics under a new program called “Safe Place for Science.” Canada’s largest health research organization has committed 30 million Canadian dollars ($21.8 million) to recruit 100 early-career scientists from the US and beyond. The Research Council of Norway launched a 100 million kroner ($9.8 million) fund to bring in new researchers.

Even Australia’s Academy of Science has created a special program to recruit disillusioned US-based scientists—and to lure homegrown talent back from abroad.

“We know these individuals are highly trained and have much to offer,” said Anna-Maria Arabia, CEO of the academy, adding that the program has already seen “encouraging interest.” Arabia told CNN that the global rush to fill the void left by US funding cuts reflects a “global hunger” for scientific talent. “It’s vitally important that science can continue without ideological interference,” she said.

America’s Scientific Edge at Risk

For decades, the US has been a global powerhouse in research and development (R&D), attracting talent with its generous budgets, competitive salaries, and cutting-edge facilities. Since 1961, US government spending on R&D has soared from $58 billion to nearly $160 billion in 2024 (adjusted for inflation). Including private sector investments, that total ballooned to more than $900 billion in 2023.

This massive investment has given the US an outsized influence on the world stage, racking up over 400 Nobel Prizes—more than double that of the next highest country, the United Kingdom. Notably, more than a third of these prizes were awarded to immigrants.

“We’ve been respected worldwide for decades because we’ve trained generations of researchers who push the frontiers of knowledge,” said Kenneth Wong, a professor of education policy at Brown University.

But under Trump’s second term, that reputation is under threat. The administration’s budget cuts and ideological interference have devastated federal health and science agencies. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), which funds nearly $50 billion in medical research annually, saw almost 700 grants worth $1.8 billion canceled between February and April, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association. Trump has also proposed slashing the NIH’s budget by 40% in 2026.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has cut nearly $1.4 billion in grants. Sixteen US states have sued the administration over these cuts, arguing they jeopardize “groundbreaking scientific research” and threaten national security, the economy, and public health.

Trump has also targeted elite universities like Harvard, freezing billions in federal funding over its refusal to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. The conflict escalated this month when Trump banned Harvard from enrolling international students—a decision quickly halted by a federal judge after Harvard sued. This week, the White House ordered all remaining federal contracts with Harvard to be canceled.

“The president is more interested in giving that taxpayer money to trade schools and state programs that promote American values,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News. “We need more electricians and plumbers, and fewer LGBTQ graduate majors from Harvard.”

A Chilling Effect on Science

Foreign institutions have seized on the chance to attract Harvard students now caught in legal limbo. On Monday, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology announced it would accept any Harvard students who wish to transfer, as well as those holding offers from the school.

“I see this as the most significant crisis that universities are facing since World War II,” Wong said. “We are witnessing a complete reset in the relationship between the federal government and leading research institutions.”

Once a beacon of scientific research, the US now feels increasingly hostile to scientists and scholars. A Nature survey in March found that three-quarters of US scientists are considering leaving because of the administration’s policies. Some have already left. Yale professors Jason Stanley, Marci Shore, and Timothy Snyder—prominent fascism scholars—announced in March that they’re moving to the University of Toronto due to Trump’s attacks on academic freedom.

For Beckman, the Brazilian neuroscientist, the US is no longer the land of opportunity. Her lab has lost $2.5 million in grant funding in recent months. On top of that, Trump’s crackdown on immigration and growing anti-foreigner sentiment have made her feel increasingly unwelcome.

“It’s the first time since I moved here that I don’t feel so welcome anymore,” she said.

Wong noted that early-career scientists will be hit hardest by the shrinking budgets and ideological interference. But these researchers are also the most mobile—and institutions around the world are eager to welcome them.

“We’re losing a whole cadre of young, energetic, well-trained researchers who are ready to take off,” Wong said.

Other countries are stepping up to fill the void. China’s R&D spending has skyrocketed in recent years, closing the gap with the US. The country invested over $780 billion in R&D in 2023, according to OECD data. The European Union’s R&D spending also jumped from around $336 billion in 2007 to $504 billion in 2023.

For a while, Beckman considered stepping away from her COVID-19 research, which has become increasingly politicized. But she’s since been approached by institutions abroad eager to support her work.

“There’s interest in virology everywhere in the world except the US right now,” she said.