Casey Fiesler had an intriguing idea for a research project.
Casey teaches information science and technology at the University of Colorado. And she wanted to create social media content that would help young people understand how artificial intelligence works.
The National Science Foundation, or NSF, liked Casey's proposal too — so much that they approved a grant of about $268,000 to fund the project. The money would help Casey and a small team of researchers create the educational materials.
But that plan ground to a halt two weeks ago when Casey learned the NSF – which is managed by the federal government -- had abruptly canceled the funding.
It happened at a moment when the Trump administration is killing grants for projects that involved subjects like misinformation and disinformation. The New York Times reported that Casey's grant was one of more than 400 were defunded with little or no explanation.
Casey talked with Erin O’Toole about how she learned that project was defunded, and why it could have been beneficial for young people. She said the grant’s cancellation is especially surprising since the White House has said education about artificial intelligence should be a priority.
