US Invests Over $100 Million in STEM to Compete With China in AI
The Trump administration is allocating over $100 million to educational initiatives for American researchers in STEM disciplines, as federal regulations restrict the influx of foreign scientists into the US and lawmakers concentrate on an AI competition with China.
The program, which President Donald Trump is expected to unveil during a Thursday summit at the White House, intends to boost the count of American citizens who are highly trained scientific researchers by providing fellowships for PhD studies in science and engineering fields, as stated by a White House official.
The administration is reviving the Young Scholars program of the National Science Foundation, which was closed in 1996. It is being brought back to life with $30 million in government support and another $50 million from entities such as Wall Street powerhouse Jane Street, the official stated.
Michael Kratsios, head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, remarked that the funding will “help to ensure America continues to lead globally in discovery.”
“The Trump Administration is dedicated to enhancing the capabilities of American STEM students and allowing them to chase opportunities at the cutting edge of science and technology,” he stated.
Trump will likewise utilize Thursday’s summit to recognize tech industry leaders such as Elon Musk, Sergey Brin, Nvidia Corp. CEO Jensen Huang, and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. CEO Lisa Su, as stated by the official.
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Trump's initiative to promote domestic academic researchers in STEM coincides with a crackdown on international students that is severely affecting science and engineering PhD programs in the US, jeopardizing the influx of advanced scientists into American companies and universities.
Numerous colleges halted or cut back admissions to doctoral programs this year, leading to a 15 percent decrease in the number of students accepted into PhD programs compared to the prior year. According to federal data, in 2024, international students constituted almost 40 percent of PhD candidates in science and engineering disciplines.
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Federal funding for STEM PhDs occurs concurrently with the government's aim to enhance AI research capabilities and strengthen the US's standing in what administration officials describe as a global competition to advance artificial intelligence.
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During the Thursday event, a White House official stated that Trump will announce the Department of Energy will have access to $100 million in compute credits for scientific research due to a private contribution.