MIT President Sally Kornbluth warned campus leaders that federal policy shifts are shrinking the research pipeline, citing a steep drop in federally funded research activity. Kornbluth said federally funded research on campus is down more than 20% year over year, with new federal research awards also falling by more than 20%. The warning, delivered in a message to the MIT community, framed the declines as a major hit to one of the university’s core research engines. MIT described the impact as “striking” for a research community that is both large and highly productive. The development signals heightened risk for federal grant-dependent laboratories and graduate recruitment plans, as institutions assess exposure to shifting federal priorities, procurement rules, and compliance requirements.