New German "super-ministry" hopes to lure US researchers with cutting-edge science agenda

[Alfonso Maruccia]

Why it matters: A new "grand coalition" is set to debut in the Bundestag, Germany's federal parliament. Led by Friedrich Merz, the incoming government plans to boost spending on science and technology - while extending a not-so-subtle invitation for ostracized US researchers to relocate and continue their work in Europe.

Germany's three largest political parties have agreed to form a new government, uniting the center-right Christian Democrats and Christian Social Union with the center-left Social Democrats. While grand coalitions are nothing new, the incoming mix of ideologies includes some notably ambitious proposals for science and technology policymaking.

The 144-page agreement - expected to win formal approval from all three parties in the coming weeks - outlines plans for a new "super-high-tech ministry" to oversee research, technology, and aerospace. The plan calls for splitting the current Ministry of Research and Education, transferring research responsibilities to the new ministry, and assigning education to the Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women, and Youth.

Volkswagen Foundation CEO Georg Schütte called the plan a smart "realignment" of portfolios that naturally belong together. He argued that research is deeply tied to technology and aerospace, while splitting science from education mirrors a similar division within the Council of the European Union - one of the bloc's two central legislative bodies, alongside the European Parliament.

The grand coalition led by CDU leader Friedrich Merz is betting big on a scientific revival in Germany. The new super-ministry will target specific research and technology priorities, including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology, microchip development and manufacturing, and fusion energy. The plan calls for Germany to pursue an ambitious goal: building the world's first operational fusion reactor.

Germany has not yet assigned a budget to the proposed super-high-tech ministry, but the coalition agreement outlines a clear funding trajectory. It pledges to raise annual support for the country's major research organizations by 3 percent annually through 2030.

The grand coalition agreement also includes plans to empower "scientific freedom," with funding decisions tied to strictly science-driven criteria and nothing more. Oncologist and researcher Eva Winkler said this goal should be a no-brainer. However, the current polarization coming from the US is putting even the most ordinary principles to the test.

Germany may soon become a destination for researchers leaving the United States, where unprecedented budget cuts under the second Trump administration have forced even NOAA scientists to clean toilets. The new European government is preparing an initiative called "1000 Minds," to make Germany more attractive to science and research professionals. Creating a smoother path to recruit valuable US and international talent could be the right move to reach that goal, Winkler suggests.

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New German "super-ministry" hopes to lure US researchers with cutting-edge science agenda

 

[noel24]

Methaphorical return of Werner von Braun? That's like... Making America Great Again by returning of USofA to raisin corn and cattle. Now use genetics to bring back John Wayne. That's gettin funnier by the hour.

 

[kiwigraeme]

If it happens, it's exactly like where scientist escaped rising fascism in Nazi germany . Controlling the legal and media channels , targeting of immigrants , and non-acceptable people's sexualty etc.
Promoting a superiority meme. Plans in invade neighbors, plans to split up and control resources with Russia see USA's plans for Ukraine

Nazi germany silence and controlled the media , politicised the legal system , ignore international laws, criticised neighbouring countries, though to buy influence through economic means pre-war

Much of the country actively supported in and cheered, others opposed , many did nothing, each day it got slowly worse , frogs in a pot, some violence was accepted and applauded , pardons and positions or all. Other peaceful demonstrations were dealt with severely , enemies of the state.
Only praise of the Dear leader is allowed and televised.
Hitler was being surrounding by sadistic lackies like Göring , JD and Steve Miller, some of these artilects of the third new world order

Nazis disappeared people with no due processed and sent to camps in neighbouring countries with no way for those people to communicate eg Poland, El Salvador. People were targeted if gay, trans , not politically aligned , on culture and race - many Germans and MAGA cheered and laughed

 

[magoid]

This initiative have the unfortunate timing of coming out just after a damning report from the DW news outlet, showing poor human treatment in German academia, ranging from moral and sexual abuse, threatening of deportation (for foreign researchers), and credit stealing on Nobel Price worthy papers. And to make matters worse, the reports from mistreated researchers land on the death ears of the management on those places.

Judging from the comments on the video's page, this is a common occurrence around the world, so I'm not sure getting out of the US for another country is a warrant of better working conditions.

 

[Theinsanegamer]

Now, I'm not saying that money is the solution to all the world's problems, BUT......

Top researchers with truly incredible minds make silly money, I doubt going down to lower middle class earnings in Germany is going to tempt them much. There's a reason so many in high pay fields come to the US from the EU, and it's not for our healthcare plan. The only researchers that would really find this appealing are going to be those who are more concerned about their political agendas then they are their work, and I dont think that's what Germany is looking for.

Actually, now that I said that out loud, go ahead guys, take them.

This initiative have the unfortunate timing of coming out just after a damning report from the DW news outlet, showing poor human treatment in German academia, ranging from moral and sexual abuse, threatening of deportation (for foreign researchers), and credit stealing on Nobel Price worthy papers. And to make matters worse, the reports from mistreated researchers land on the death ears of the management on those places.

Judging from the comments on the video's page, this is a common occurrence around the world, so I'm not sure getting out of the US for another country is a warrant of better working conditions.

No no no! Shhhh... America is BAD, mkay? Every other country is a utopia with no problems whatsoever, and we cant have people questioning the narrative. No other country has problems it's Just america, because Orange, or conservatives, or something.

 

[pnntmp]

They apparently believe creating a "super-high-tech ministry" will produce super-high-tech.

In effect, it will be a new layer of bureaucracy on top of the existing bureaucracy apparatus. Bureaucracy and hyper-over-regulation of everything is the main reason the EU doesn't innovate anymore. And they plan more of that.

 

[BuckarooBonzaii]

First thought are those darn EU regulations already strangling tech companies. Germany being an EU Member State, will they tell regulators hands off to scientific freedom?

 

[godrilla]

If it happens, it's exactly like where scientist escaped rising fascism in Nazi germany . Controlling the legal and media channels , targeting of immigrants , and non-acceptable people's sexualty etc.
Promoting a superiority meme. Plans in invade neighbors, plans to split up and control resources with Russia see USA's plans for Ukraine

Nazi germany silence and controlled the media , politicised the legal system , ignore international laws, criticised neighbouring countries, though to buy influence through economic means pre-war

Much of the country actively supported in and cheered, others opposed , many did nothing, each day it got slowly worse , frogs in a pot, some violence was accepted and applauded , pardons and positions or all. Other peaceful demonstrations were dealt with severely , enemies of the state.
Only praise of the Dear leader is allowed and televised.
Hitler was being surrounding by sadistic lackies like Göring , JD and Steve Miller, some of these artilects of the third new world order

Nazis disappeared people with no due processed and sent to camps in neighbouring countries with no way for those people to communicate eg Poland, El Salvador. People were targeted if gay, trans , not politically aligned , on culture and race - many Germans and MAGA cheered and laughed

Maga? um the KKK Where democrats and there is evidence that the segregation laws against Black people were the footprint creating the segregation laws in Nazi Germany against the jews and Gypsies.
The irony is they have viewed Jews as second class citizens with no Merit and and pro identity politics ( like today's Democrats vs MAGA with is pushing a pro Merit society where people contribute to society and not leach off it)
The lesson to the story is the Greay America you speak about was a safe heaven for bright minds that was the downfall of the Third Reich. Also notice which party is anti Zion.
Pop quiz from which country did Nvidia buy a company that directly increases its growth.
AI Overview
Mellanox Technologies has headquarters in both Sunnyvale, California (USA) and Yokneam, Israel. It was founded in.
Notice pro Palistians love Hitler. Notice Trump's love for Israel. So take home message to circle back NOAA seems like a Baueocracy that was spending money on climate change to control you.
AI Overview



+8
NOAA does not "push" climate change, but rather, its mission is to observe, understand, and predict changes in climate, weather, and the ocean. NOAA provides data, tools, and information to help people understand and prepare for a changing climate. While some within the Trump administration sought to diminish NOAA's climate research efforts, NOAA continues to play a vital role in climate science and informing the public about the impacts of climate change.
Here's a more detailed look at NOAA's role in climate change:
Data Collection and Modeling:
NOAA uses its extensive data-collection capabilities to observe and model climate variability, including understanding and predicting looming climate shifts, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.
Climate Science and Communication:
NOAA provides scientific information about climate change, including its impacts on the U.S. and the need for action to reduce warming, according to NOAA.
Community Resilience:
NOAA works with communities to help them understand and prepare for the unique climate challenges they face, and to take actions to protect lives, livelihoods, and resources.
Monitoring and Research:
NOAA Fisheries monitors and measures the impact of climate on fisheries, including tracking ocean conditions, providing early warnings, and modeling future conditions, according to NOAA Fisheries.
Funding and Initiatives:
NOAA has been allocated significant funding through the Inflation Reduction Act to invest in climate-ready fisheries and coasts, according to NOAA.
Scrutiny and Challenges:
NOAA has faced scrutiny and challenges from the Trump administration, including proposed budget cuts and attempts to limit the agency's climate-related research, according to Axios.

The private sector is still available to those scientists and now Germany can use those scientists to create and push thier climate change agenda on its Citizens like in Nazi germany 2.0!

 

[mbrowne5061]

Now, I'm not saying that money is the solution to all the world's problems, BUT......

Top researchers with truly incredible minds make silly money...

No, they don't. The impacted researchers in the US either live off government stipends and grants, or are directly employed by the government. They already make lower-middle class earnings, but without things like socialized healthcare and retirement.

The researchers in private industry can make silly money - some of them at least - but private industry hasn't been impacted yet, and won't be until the economic downturn starts to impact their company's bottom line. And even then, these researchers would be the last to be cut.