What is everyone doing in the US? Random poll of people’s potential next move in this uncertain time

Exactly as the title says- what are people doing? I am a US citizen at an R01 working with someone top of my field (biology, bioengineering) whose funding was paused (multi-institute 6 year funding). I have enough funding to make it through the end of my contract (May 2026). I understand I am lucky there. My PI had said that I could stay as long as I needed until I got a tenure track position- now that seems very unlikely due to funding stuff.

So my question is- what are people doing? Are people emailing PIs to work with? Are people still applying for funding? Are people looking at industry jobs? Are people just waiting it out? Are people looking for jobs that have longer funding and leaving their current jobs?

Trying to think about next moves. I realize I am in a pretty good situation for where I could be, but my partner and I are both academics. We live in a very high COL place with no family or resources near us. We are scraping by to make ends meet and need to plan our next move months in advance to save money to have to move.

I guess I am just feeling very down about where I am in life. I'm older for a PhD (decided to get my first degree when I was 25 and been going since). I have zero money saved up. I can't really go or travel anywhere. I feel like I have zero job prospects. I'm just stuck. Usually, I can always come up with the a way to feel unstuck. Get a bartending job, make a move, think of something. I just am so tired and burnt out though. My job is extremely demanding and I have no time for anything (including processing emotions). My PI is also incredibly hard to work with and has no room for anyone other than themselves in any situation which makes planning ahead difficult to navigate. I feel like hearing what other people are doing or thinking might help me. Or maybe I am just screaming into the void looking for the echo back, I don't know.

Posted May 7, 2025, 2:28 PM UTC

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