The grant, which supported “accelerating equitable decarbonization” research, decried as “woke” by U.S. transportation secretary
By JORDAN POLTORAK— campus@theaggie.org
United States Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on Friday, May 2 that he would terminate a $12 million grant given to UC Davis’ National Center for Sustainable Transportation for being “woke.”
The grant was used to fund “accelerating equitable decarbonization that benefits both the transportation system and the well-being of people in overburdened and historically disadvantaged communities,” according to the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies website.
UC Davis was one of seven institutions that had their “woke university grants” revoked, according to Duffy, UC Davis’ grant being the largest. City College of New York and University of South California both lost out on $9 million for their grants. New York University, San José State University, University of New Orleans and Johns Hopkins University each had $6 million in grant funding terminated.
“These grants were used to advance a radical [diversity, equity and inclusion] (DEI) and green agenda that were both wasteful and ran counter to the transportation priorities of the American people,” the U.S. Department of Transportation website reads.
The National Center for Sustainable Transportation (NCST) grant totaled $20 million with $4 million per year over five years. Research focused on three areas: improving vehicle technology, building better infrastructure and changing travel demands to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The NCST is one of five national centers funded by the Department of Transportation.
The NCST is led by the Institute of Transportation Studies (ITS) which is the leading university center in the world on sustainable transportation with over 60 faculty and researchers and more than 120 graduate students.
“Much of our work was in line with the previous administration and their priorities,” Susan Handy, director for NCST and principal investigator on the federal grant, said. “We were addressing the [Joe] Biden administration in our proposal. The current administration has very different priorities so we knew we had some vulnerability there. But we do a lot of work that is consistent with the current administration, with respect to the transportation realm. Projects like safety, impacts of transportation on the economy and some of my work has to do with the degree that widening highways reduces congestion.”
Her message to students is to not give up hope.
“A lot of good work will still continue at the Institute of Transportation Studies,” Handy said. “We receive funding from a lot of different sources including California agencies. We want to continue to fund the students we have committed to funding. We will have to work to find resources in other places that can support the important work that needs to be done.”
A UC Davis spokesperson provided the following comment:
“The university has received dozens of notices from federal agencies related to specific grants or projects since the change in the federal administration,” the spokesperson said. “The affected grants cover a wide range of areas, including research related to cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, food production and safety, renewable energy, basic science and a great deal more.
The federal notices vary significantly in their intent and need for action. In each case, the Office of Research is working directly with the principal investigator and campus leadership to determine the appropriate course of action.
In the case of research terminations, this may include filing an appeal directly with the agency, litigating matters in court and negotiating a financial settlement prior to winding down the research. These processes can take months and prevent us from sharing information publicly until complete.
UC Davis is a powerhouse for breakthroughs and impact. Our research plays a vital role in building the region’s economy and contributes to our nation’s global leadership in technology and innovation. As we navigate the complex landscape, we remain committed to maintaining and uplifting a robust research enterprise that fully serves our mission of teaching, research and public service.”
This is a developing story. Follow The Aggie for continued updates.
Written by: Jordan Poltorak — campus@theaggie.org
