Minister seeks to attract the 'best and brightest' US researchers frozen out by Trump

'Investment in innovation and cultivation of the best minds is a key economic strategy,' said minister for further and higher education, research, innovation and science, James Lawless. Picture: Naoise Culhane

Plans are being drafted for Ireland to host the “best and brightest” of US researchers as US universities come under threat and face funding shutdowns by the Trump administration.

Further and higher education minister James Lawless is to bring proposals to Cabinet on Tuesday aimed at attracting US scientists wishing to relocate.

Mr Lawless will seek permission from Cabinet to establish a team of “talent attachés” who will travel to the US and other countries to recruit academics to come and work in Ireland.

Irish 'talent attachés' already at work

Two agents have already been signed off on and will work in Boston and San Francisco. One agent travelled over last week and the second to follow shortly.

US college campuses, academic institutions and research organisations have been upended since Donald Trump took office, and recent months have seen frozen funding, cut grants, and deported foreign students.

Speaking at an Irish Universities Association event, Mr Lawless said the last few months have “undoubtedly changed” how people view the US when it comes to research and higher education. He said: 

It has unfortunately become a cold place for free thinkers and talented researchers. Faculties are having funding revoked, and institutes face shutdowns of significant impairments to their work.

“Setting aside any cultural wars, I think investment in innovation and cultivation of the best minds is a key economic strategy.”

With both existing attachés working in the US, there will be a strong emphasis on recruitment on that side of the Atlantic but it is not the sole focus of the plans.

A global talent initiative is to be set up here at home and will seek to recruit individuals who would previously have sought to work in America but might now be rethinking their options given the current US administration.

It is hoped that competitive packages which will include salary and potentially offers of start-up funding for particular will entice talent to move to Ireland. It is intended that the universities will co-fund salary support.

Ireland competing with other EU states 

Mr Lawless will be seeking funding for the initiative but said that there is good support across Government for what he is trying to achieve.

Ireland will be competing with other EU countries to entice scientists, with French president Emmanuel Macron last week pledging €100m to help attract foreign scientists.

Mr Lawless said there are already “soft noises being made” with people querying what Ireland has to offer those considering a move.

In his keynote speech, Mr Lawless made reference to how America became a global leader in research after the Second World War, as scientists such as Enrico Fermi, Albert Einstein, Leo Szilard, and Edward Teller moved to the US.

“As US research freedoms come under threat, we have in Ireland unique opportunity to emulate that post war success and see the tide of talents now flow in a different direction across the Atlantic,” Mr Lawless said. 

“We can offer a stable, open, EU aligned environment where researchers can thrive, contribute and shape the future of science.

“We know that talent is our greatest natural resource. It is also our best defence to any economic turbulence.”