Living in San Diego, I knew the name Scripps Research Institute carried weight—real weight. It wasn’t just another science lab. It was where breakthroughs happened. The kind of place that gave science a capital “S.”
So in 2004, when I took over a scrappy newspaper in a sleepy part of Florida and heard Scripps was setting up shop nearby, I picked up the phone and called the headquarters in La Jolla.
Why, I asked, would a globally respected research institute build a new campus in a region not exactly known for top-shelf academic support?
The answer was blunt and brilliant in its practicality.
“We want to attract European scientists,” the spokesperson told me.
“And we don’t want them burning out from long travel. It’s an easy flight to Miami or Orlando.”
Made sense. Florida had sunshine, sandy beaches, and a direct runway to Paris.
Fast forward to now: The sunshine’s still there, but the research dollars? Not so much.
The Trump administration—too busy demonizing science and slashing research budgets—has been cutting billions from programs that fund the next wave of cancer therapies, clean tech, and pandemic prep.
Apparently, science isn’t MAGA enough.
And the rest of the world noticed.
This week, France and the European Union announced a $500 million package aimed squarely at American scientists. The message was clear: We still believe in research.
“We are a space where there is freedom of research and no taboo topics,” a French official said.
“We want to affirm France and Europe as stable spaces that can guarantee freedoms and academic research.”
Let that sink in. While we argue over drag shows and AP Biology, the Europeans are opening the door to our best minds—and giving them a lab to walk into.
This isn’t just a brain drain—it’s a brain hemorrhage.
You don’t lose top-tier scientists and expect to win the tech race. Or cure cancer. Or beat the next pandemic.
We’re handing over tomorrow’s breakthroughs because today’s politics can’t see past next quarter’s polling numbers.
Back in 2004, Scripps came to Florida for convenience.
Now, our best and brightest may leave the country for survival.
And that should scare the hell out of all of us.