NASA layoffs: Climate scientist Calvin has to go!

NASA layoffs: Climate scientist Calvin has to go!

As part of extensive staff reduction measures under the leadership of US President Donald Trump, NASA today announced the first wave of layoffs. As NASA spokeswoman Cheryl Warner announced, 23 employees, including prominent climatologist and chief scientist Katherine Calvin, will have to leave the company initially. Calvin was appointed in 2022 during Joe Biden's presidency and has been involved in several major UN reports on climate change. Her firing follows the previous ban on her participation in a key climate conference in China in February, underscoring rising concerns about Trump's stance on climate science, which has been described as a "fraud" while he caused a setback for global climate action by withdrawing from the Paris Agreement, as oe24.at reported.

As one of the most important institutions in climate research, NASA is at the center of criticism. With its fleet of Earth observation satellites and comprehensive data sets, the agency plays a critical role in researching and understanding climate change. The current round of layoffs is part of a phased reduction in staffing known as Reduction in Force (RIF). Not only is Calvin fired, but also the closure of the Office of Technology, Policy and Strategy and the Diversity and Inclusion Department. The announcement came at a time when NASA has been considering laying off around a thousand temporary employees in the past. Jared Isaacman, Trump's nominee for NASA chief, had reportedly called for a pause on those cuts, raising questions about the imbalance between research and exploration priorities at NASA Phys.org reported. In addition to Mars exploration, President Trump has also taken a clear stance against research against climate change, which is further exacerbating tensions over the future direction of the agency.