Government grants meant to help poor states actually just give the smartest young scientists a plane ticket out of there.
March 30, 2026
Original Paper
Analyzing Academic Mobility of NSF CAREER Award Winners
SSRN · 6487434
The Takeaway
The NSF CAREER award is intended to help junior scholars build research infrastructure in states that lack federal support (EPSCoR states). Instead, the data shows these winners often use the prestige of the award to move to elite institutions in wealthy states within five years, effectively subsidizing 'brain drain.'
From the abstract
The study suggests that two highly regarded National Science Foundation (NSF) programs may, to some extent, be working at cross-purposes. The Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) aims to strengthen the research infrastructure in states that traditionally have received less federal research support than the leading states. The NSF's Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) program funds outstanding junior scholars throughout the nation to catalyze their res