WASHINGTON, October 21, 2020 — The American Institute of Physics and 36 other scientific associations and societies urge the president’s administration to prioritize the immigration of science and technology talent that will spur the scientific breakthroughs and economic growth of the U.S.
In that effort, AIP supports the American Immigration Council in their efforts to highlight the impacts of limiting immigration of students who want to pursue science-based degrees in the United States.
The AIC is hosting a media briefing on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 3 p.m. Eastern to allow reporters to hear from experts, including Brian Greene, professor of physics and mathematics and bestselling author, on the potential impact of limiting foreign students to their education in the U.S.
The Department of Homeland Security unveiled a proposed rule in September that would alter student and exchange visitor visas and could devastate science research and technological innovation in the United States.
As part of a widespread effort to bring about an end to this proposed rule, AIP member societies are among those encouraging scientists, researchers, and other interested parties to contact DHS and make them aware of the significant impact on science students coming to the United States for their education.
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What: Join experts who will discuss the impact of the rule on America’s leadership in innovation and scientific research, the implications for tens of thousands of foreign students seeking an American college degree, and the long-term effects for the U.S. legal immigration system.
The rule, with comments due by Oct. 26, will eliminate the longstanding policy that allows students and scholars to remain in the United States for the duration of their studies, also known as “duration of status,” and would limit the period of stay not to exceed four years. The rule would also impose collective punishment on students from nearly 60 countries, most of which are Asian and African nations.
Most first-time college students take more than five years to earn a bachelor’s degree, and many doctoral programs take more than four years. A typical mathematics Ph.D., for example, takes 5-6 years to complete.
Who:
- Brian Greene, professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University and the co-founder of the World Science Festival
- Beth Werlin, executive director of the American Immigration Council
- Miriam Feldblum, co-founder and executive director of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration
When: Oct. 22, 2020 at 3 p.m. EDT / noon PDT
RSVP: For dial-in information, RSVP to Maria Frausto at mfrausto@immcouncil.org.
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ABOUT AMERICAN IMMIGRATION COUNCIL
The American Immigration Council works to strengthen America by shaping how America thinks about and acts towards immigrants and immigration and by working toward a more fair and just immigration system that opens its doors to those in need of protection and unleashes the energy and skills that immigrants bring. The Council brings together problem solvers and employs four coordinated approaches to advance change—litigation, research, legislative and administrative advocacy, and communications. Follow the latest Council news and information on ImmigrationImpact.com and Twitter @immcouncil.
ABOUT AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS
The American Institute of Physics is a federation of scientific societies and an institute supporting the physical sciences enterprise. AIP’s mission is to advance, promote and serve the physical sciences for the benefit of humanity. Founded in 1931, AIP provides the means for its member societies to pool, coordinate, and leverage their diverse expertise and contributions in the pursuit of the shared goal of advancing the physical sciences in the research enterprise, the economy, education, and society. AIP also acts as an independent institute where research in social science, policy, and history advances the discipline of the physical sciences. https://www.aip.org/
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