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The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has done a lot of damage to the Ukrainian scientific system. The ongoing war has damaged physical infrastructure, thousands of Ukrainian scientists have fled their country to seek safety abroad, and the researchers who stayed have experienced significant disruptions to their work.

We are who of , and a . Two of us are also co-founders of , a grassroots initiative that .

Damage to a country's science system—like what is happening in Ukraine—can harm . However, research shows that local and international policymakers can minimize this harm by providing direct funding to researchers, creating remote research positions and offering research opportunities abroad to Ukrainian scientists.

How war harms Ukrainian science

The most visible impact on Ukrainian science is the . According to a report by the Ukrainian Ministry of Science and Education, 22% of research and higher education institutions . This includes five of the country's top 20 institutions and .

Funding cuts are pervasive, too. The Ukrainian government has announced a 20% decrease in funding for since the start of the war. Researchers have also faced .

Additionally, the estimates that 10% of the roughly 60,000 Ukrainian scientists have fled the country since the start of the war. In a , we found that nearly all of the researchers who left are female, as men aged 18 to 60 are generally not allowed to leave Ukraine due to martial law. This flow of scientists to neighboring countries has given rise to fears of a brain drain.

Some researchers have . Encouragingly, roughly as soon as the war ends, with another third considering returning in the future. In our survey, we found that more than half of researchers abroad remain on the payroll of their Ukrainian institution and still teach courses to Ukrainian students using remote methods or temporary visits.

One measurable result of all of these disruptions is that the number of research papers published by Ukrainian scientists in 2022 was compared to 2021.

The consequences of scientific loss

Scientists and the ideas they produce are important , and is a catalyst for local innovation and employment. History has shown that the large relocation of scientists out of Ukraine and damage to the scientific system are likely to lead to long-term harm to Ukrainian science and hinder the country's economic recovery after the war.

Austrian and German research institutions that lost their top talent before and during World War II even decades later. Losing skilled researchers has also been shown to undermine the training of . A lack of scientists to train the next generation after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Finally, while buildings, infrastructure and generic equipment can be replaced, damage to can be especially costly.

Active steps to support science in Ukraine

have suggested means of helping Ukrainian scientists—most prominently the of Europe, Germany, the U.S., Ukraine, Poland, Denmark and the United Kingdom.

While there are many ways to help scientists affected by the war, three key interventions can be particularly effective.

First is monetary support to replace lost funding. For example, after the end of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, many Soviet scientists found themselves without funding or a salary. In response, the that helped the researchers continue their work and stay in science. Those who did not receive grants were than those who did.

Funding for Ukrainian scientists today—even small amounts—helps them not only survive, but it also allows them to abroad, submit articles to journals with fees and maintain memberships in academic associations.

The Simons Foundation in New York is one such group providing monetary support. Earlier in 2023, the foundation its "support of 405 Ukrainian mathematicians, biologists, physicists and chemists who remain in Ukraine" through research stipends lasting 12 months.

A second meaningful way that organizations can support Ukrainian science is through remote research positions. These allow Ukrainian researchers to stay in Ukraine while —a²Ô»å —non-Ukrainian institutions. Two organizations that we work with, and , are , as is the University of Massachusetts Amherst through its .

A third means of support that scientific institutions outside of Ukraine can offer is abroad. Scientists who continue to do research abroad are able to create and learn new research methods that can help Ukraine producer of science once they return home. And if these researchers can keep professional ties with Ukraine, they .

The harms of war on Ukrainian science are ongoing and may be long-lasting. Yet history and research suggest that when organizations take steps to help a critical mass of scientists remain active, the science system can recover.

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