Overview

• NASA has initiated layoffs of 23 employees, including Chief Scientist Katherine Calvin, as part of federal budget reductions ordered by President Donald Trump.
• Katherine Calvin, a prominent climatologist appointed in 2022, was barred from attending a UN climate meeting in February prior to her dismissal.
• The layoffs include the closure of NASA offices focused on technology policy and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
• The Department of Education is set to lose over 2,200 employees, with plans to shift its responsibilities to state governments, aligning with Trump's long-standing goal of dismantling the department.
• Concerns have been raised about the broader implications of these cuts, including a potential shift in NASA's focus toward human space exploration at the expense of scientific research.