Damage to Qatar’s energy infrastructure and the broader Strait of Hormuz disruption have crimped helium and LNG exports, raising alarm for semiconductor supply chains and research that depend on helium for chip fabrication and medical imaging. Qatar’s force‑majeure declaration and strikes on Ras Laffan mean global helium flows could be cut significantly, with spot prices already doubling. Economists describe the Hormuz crisis as the fourth major supply shock of the decade, compounding pandemic and geopolitical disruptions and threatening travel, research imports, and overseas program continuity. Universities that depend on specialized research supplies, international collaborations, or frequent faculty travel face operational and budgetary uncertainty. Campus research offices and procurement teams are advised to review critical supply dependencies, build redundancy for sensitive materials, and plan for travel contingencies while assessing budget exposure to fuel and logistics cost inflation.