Canada poaches dozens of top US researchers for its universities

Canada is hiring dozens of researchers away from universities in the United States. More than 48 of the 64 professors making the move will come from American schools, including top institutions like Harvard. The Canadian government is offering these scientists a share of C$504 million to fund their work in areas like climate change and medicine. This is happening as the relationship between Canada and the US has grown more strained.

One of those researchers is Seth Guikema, a climate scientist at the University of Michigan. He studies how communities can prepare for natural disasters like storms and wildfires. Guikema said he started looking for opportunities in Canada last year because it had become harder to get funding for climate research in the US. Over the next eight years, he will use C$8 million to do his work at the University of Western Ontario.

Guikema explained his reasons for leaving in his own words. 'The funding environment in the US for anything related to climate and resilience has become challenging,' he said. 'I was looking for a good intellectual home where I could have practical impact.' His former employer, the University of Michigan, did not want to comment on his departure.

Part of the reason researchers are leaving the US is the actions of President Donald Trump's administration. The administration has accused many universities of being too focused on left-wing ideas and diversity programs. It has also frozen federal research grants for many schools and groups, saying the money was being wasted. All of this uncertainty is pushing some scientists to look for work in other countries.

Canada, on the other hand, is trying to show strength on the world stage. The two countries are already in a trade war, arguing over taxes on each other's goods called tariffs. Canada's Industry Minister Melanie Joly said the government was 'very glad that these fantastic professors are coming.' When asked if the program could make tensions worse, she said: 'The US administration is taking its own decisions and we're taking ours.'