The US Department of State has canceled a Fulbright scholarship awarded to Finnish researcher Saara Loukola, citing a political misalignment with policies under President Donald Trump. This move has been condemned in Finland as an infringement on academic freedom.

Loukola, a doctoral researcher at the University of Helsinki, was set to travel to the US in September for her dissertation research on how American teacher education programs address racism. She planned to apply the findings to Finnish teacher training. However, in early May, the US authorities informed her that the $36,000 grant had been revoked, and her visa was denied.

The US State Department determined that Loukola’s research topic conflicted with executive orders issued by Trump. Loukola expressed that, while she wasn’t surprised, the news was still shocking. She stated that the loss of on-site access made her original research plan unfeasible but added that she would not alter her study to conform to political expectations.

Ritva Dammert, development director at the University of Helsinki, noted that Loukola’s case was not unique. Other scholars have faced similar political reviews of their US funding. She also mentioned a recent example of an American researcher whose planned visit to Finland to study climate change was canceled after the US government withdrew its support.

Dammert described the situation as an attack on academic freedom, noting that US-funded research in areas like climate change and gender equality had often been defunded during the Trump administration.

The Fulbright Program, a US government-funded initiative, is designed to promote mutual understanding through international academic collaboration. However, growing concerns about restrictions on academic freedom in the US have led to an increase in applications from US-based scholars to European institutions like the University of Helsinki. This situation highlights the broader challenges surrounding the politicization of science and academic freedom.