Thank you for sharing your story! So many people want to forget how poorly you and your colleagues were treated. I have not forgotten and value everything you’ve done while at NIH and what you’re doing here now sharing your perspective.
Management matters so much more than amorphous ideas about “reform.” When we can eventually look back at this, we will have a case study on terrible management.
Thank you for your kind support. When we look back on this someday I hope people will finally admit it that it was not just poor management or a bad idea. It was a complete abomination and a disgraceful and inhumane way for our federal government to treat its dedicated workers.
Remarkable, sad article and brave of you to speak out. The promotion of Memoli seems to be pure ideologically based and outrageous given his lack of experience. The timing of the non-competing award of a $500 million contract to him and Jeff Taubenberger is as obvious an example of grift as I’ve seen. It’s made even more outrageous by the fact that many of us have suffered 6 yrs of allegations of corruption from lab leakers and right wing politicians, when the real corruption is happening right now, in full daylight.
Yes! Every accusation from them is a actually a confession. They are totally corrupt, and they are running NIH by fiat now. Decisions are not made based on science, but rather based on cronyism and gaslighting. Jay B is never at the NIH (too busy podcasting and attending right wing conferences). He has empowered Memoli and Lorsch to rule the roost and they both appear to be in cahoots with Vought to centralize control of all the money. They may fund just enough “good science” to make it appear like they are good guys, but essentially, the NIH is dead.
Thank you for all the time and energy it took to compile this timeline. It is so important! And yes, NIH does appear to be done with just enough activity to keep everyone hoping but the reality is that most of the work has been stalled and left hanging.
Your assessment is accurate. The leadership claims NIH has returned to “normalcy,” but the reality is far from it. Not enough staff left in some ICs to issue awards, and the political people are in charge of what will be allwed to be funded now. Multiyear funding scheme means there will be many fewer awards issued each year. And with no more targeted NOFOs written by individual ICOs it means PIs must guess which IC wants their idea and submit to “parent” mechanisms, and just hope for the best at an overly strained CSR with an increasingly competitive arena and many fewer applications scored. It will be a cruel game of musical chairs. When the music stops, most investigators will not get a grant award. More applications will clog the system and on and on…
Liz - hugs to you….. It is traumatic enough to leave/retire from such an organization, but to have to do so in the environment and under the circumstances that surrounded you is just horrendous. You have my most sincere sympathy…. Carol
The abysmal treatment of you and your NIH colleagues by the administration is reprehensible. Thank you for all your efforts over your 20+ year career to help improve the lives of your fellow citizens.
Thank you for sharing your story! So many people want to forget how poorly you and your colleagues were treated. I have not forgotten and value everything you’ve done while at NIH and what you’re doing here now sharing your perspective.
Management matters so much more than amorphous ideas about “reform.” When we can eventually look back at this, we will have a case study on terrible management.
Thank you for your kind support. When we look back on this someday I hope people will finally admit it that it was not just poor management or a bad idea. It was a complete abomination and a disgraceful and inhumane way for our federal government to treat its dedicated workers.
Remarkable, sad article and brave of you to speak out. The promotion of Memoli seems to be pure ideologically based and outrageous given his lack of experience. The timing of the non-competing award of a $500 million contract to him and Jeff Taubenberger is as obvious an example of grift as I’ve seen. It’s made even more outrageous by the fact that many of us have suffered 6 yrs of allegations of corruption from lab leakers and right wing politicians, when the real corruption is happening right now, in full daylight.
Yes! Every accusation from them is a actually a confession. They are totally corrupt, and they are running NIH by fiat now. Decisions are not made based on science, but rather based on cronyism and gaslighting. Jay B is never at the NIH (too busy podcasting and attending right wing conferences). He has empowered Memoli and Lorsch to rule the roost and they both appear to be in cahoots with Vought to centralize control of all the money. They may fund just enough “good science” to make it appear like they are good guys, but essentially, the NIH is dead.
Thank you for all the time and energy it took to compile this timeline. It is so important! And yes, NIH does appear to be done with just enough activity to keep everyone hoping but the reality is that most of the work has been stalled and left hanging.
Your assessment is accurate. The leadership claims NIH has returned to “normalcy,” but the reality is far from it. Not enough staff left in some ICs to issue awards, and the political people are in charge of what will be allwed to be funded now. Multiyear funding scheme means there will be many fewer awards issued each year. And with no more targeted NOFOs written by individual ICOs it means PIs must guess which IC wants their idea and submit to “parent” mechanisms, and just hope for the best at an overly strained CSR with an increasingly competitive arena and many fewer applications scored. It will be a cruel game of musical chairs. When the music stops, most investigators will not get a grant award. More applications will clog the system and on and on…
Liz - hugs to you….. It is traumatic enough to leave/retire from such an organization, but to have to do so in the environment and under the circumstances that surrounded you is just horrendous. You have my most sincere sympathy…. Carol
❤️ thank you!
The abysmal treatment of you and your NIH colleagues by the administration is reprehensible. Thank you for all your efforts over your 20+ year career to help improve the lives of your fellow citizens.
❤️ thank you!
Very powerful Liz. Thank you for sharing.
Related, but perhaps more hopeful: https://anotherperson.substack.com/p/money-memory-and-independence-at