Engorgement

Another cocktail encounter tonight. This time, with an accomplished researcher from one of the major medical centers here in Chicago. She carried more than one NIH RL-1 grant. Interestingly, before the stimulus package was announced, she had to cut her research budgets 30% due to concerns over funding availability.

Then came the Obama Stimulus package.

"So, do you think you'll be able to reinstate those budget cuts for your current research?" I asked.

"Nothing's coming for several months," she said. "So we were told to think of a totally new project and not focus on our real needs for current projects. Instead, we were told we had to create an entirely new project with ridiculous requests for equipment and staffing, above and beyond what exists today. It's crazy."

"And the former work?"

"Who knows? We'll stick to our current budget," she said.

"What a waste."

"Yep. But that seems to be the way the game will be played."

-Wes