The government rescinded billions in federal research grants during Trump’s first few months in office — cutting fellowships, scholarships, and postdoc programs that support the next generation of scientists.

A federal judge recently ordered the restoration of some National Institutes of Health grants. A battle over National Science Foundation funding is still playing out in court.

So what do these cuts actually mean for higher education and scientific discovery? And if the United States gives up its global lead in innovation and research, what does that mean for the rest of us?

In this episode of College Uncovered, host Kirk Carapezza and reporter Craig LeMoult visit one public university hit especially hard — and explore what’s really at stake for American science.

“College Uncovered” is made possible by Lumina Foundation.

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Credits:

Host and Producer: Kirk Carapezza

Editor: Jenifer McKim

Executive Producer: Lee Hill

Mixing and Sound Design: David Goodman & Gary Mott

Theme Song and original music: Left-Roman

Artwork: Matt Welch

Project Manager: Meiqian He

Consulting Producer and Head of GBH Podcasts: Devin Maverick Robins

"College Uncovered" is a production of GBH News and The Hechinger Report.

Harvard just did something it hasn’t done in decades — it fired a tenured professor.

Francesca Gino built her reputation studying honesty. Then she was accused of faking data. In May, Harvard’s top governing board revoked her tenure and ousted her from the Business School.

But why is stripping tenure so rare — not just at Harvard, but anywhere? How common is research fraud? And why are colleges so secretive when it happens?

College Uncovered’s Kirk Carapezza and reporter Mark Herz unpack the Gino case. Then Kirk sits down with science journalist and attorney Eugenie Reich, author of Plastic Fantastic: How the Biggest Fraud in Physics Shook the Scientific World.

“College Uncovered” is made possible by Lumina Foundation.

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Credits:

Host and Producer: Kirk Carapezza

Editor: Jenifer McKim

Executive Producer: Lee Hill

Mixing and Sound Design: David Goodman & Gary Mott

Theme Song and original music: Left-Roman

Artwork: Matt Welch

Project Manager: Meiqian He

Consulting Producer and Head of GBH Podcasts: Devin Maverick Robins

"College Uncovered" is a production of GBH News and The Hechinger Report.

Is the four-year college degree losing its grip on the American Dream?

Just as American colleges reach the demographic cliff in 2026, higher education in the U.S. is facing mounting pressure from all sides. President Donald Trump has targeted several highly-selective, wealthy universities, slashing federal research funding and questioning their tax-exempt status – painting them as overpriced and out-of-touch bastions of liberalism. But skepticism about college isn’t just coming from the right. On the campaign trail, Democratic nominee Kamala Harris called out the country’s narrow focus on four-year degrees, urging more support for apprenticeships and technical programs.

And the public seems to agree. A growing number of Americans – nearly a third – now say they have little or no confidence in college. That’s up 10 percent from a decade ago. Employers and states desperate for talent are dropping degree requirements for certain entry-level positions.

So where does that leave students and families? And how are colleges, especially those struggling to fill seats, adapting?

In this episode of College Uncovered, co-hosts Kirk Carapezza and Jon Marcus dig into the rise of alternative pathways. They explain why there aren’t more apprenticeship and internship opportunities and explore what happens when the college degree is no longer the default. Whether you’re a student, parent, or just interested in the future of higher education, this episode helps explain what comes next.

“College Uncovered” is made possible by Lumina Foundation.

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Credits:

Hosts and Producers: Kirk Carapezza & Jon Marcus

Editor: Jonathan A. Davis

Fact -checker: Ryan Alderman

Executive Editor: Jenifer McKim

Executive Producer: Lee Hill

Mixing and Sound Design: David Goodman & Gary Mott

Artwork: Matt Welch

Theme Song and original music: Left-Roman

Project Manager: Meiqian He

Consulting Producer and Head of GBH Podcasts: Devin Maverick Robins

"College Uncovered" is a production of GBH News and The Hechinger Report.