Divisive U.S. politics repels int'l early-career scientists: Nature

Voters check in during the U.S. midterm elections at a polling station in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, Nov. 8, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

The high cost of living is also a key issue for non-citizens, with the median rent for the 50 largest metropolitan areas hitting a record high of 1,879 U.S. dollars per month in July.

NEW YORK, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Rising tensions stemming from U.S. politics are becoming increasingly divisive, a process that accelerated during Donald Trump's presidency and part of the reasons that keep international early-career scientists away, particularly undergraduate and graduate students, reported Nature on Monday.

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation's criminal data repository documented 11,126 victims of hate crimes in 2020, the highest number since 2008, with 82 percent of those crimes motivated by race or sexual orientation, according to the report.

The high cost of living is also a key issue for non-citizens, with the median rent for the 50 largest metropolitan areas hitting a record high of 1,879 U.S. dollars per month in July. Meanwhile, some would-be students have lingering concerns about COVID-19.

Many universities require international students to have health insurance, which can be expensive. For example, a medical insurance plan for graduate students at the University of California, Berkeley, costs 3,186 dollars per semester for the 2022-23 academic year. But not every institution offers insurance subsidies, said the report.

Five researchers interviewed by Nature revealed their reasons for choosing not to pursue positions in the United States, that ranged from legislative decisions that block a woman's right to an abortion in many states, the frequency of mass-shooting events, the high cost of insurance-based health care, persistent racism and the rise in hate-crime violence, spurred by COVID-19's emergence in Asia and divisive culture wars, the report said.