Some Australian researchers who work with US federal agencies have been sent a 36-point questionnaire, with questions including whether their joint research complies with the Trump administration’s two-gender ideology, the Australian Financial Review reported.

The Australian Academy of Science has urged the Australian government to “give serious and urgent attention” to this action, saying that asking individual scientists to disclose their institution’s compatibility with US foreign and domestic policy “could have negative repercussions for Australia’s strategic capability and advancement”.

Professor Chennupati Jagadish, president, Australian Academy of Science, said in a statement on the organisation’s website: “If responses to the survey lead to reductions or cessation of US–Australian scientific collaborations, it will directly threaten our scientific and technological capability and diminish Australia’s strategic capability in areas of national interest such as defence, health, disaster mitigation and response, AI and quantum technology.”

The US is Australia’s largest research partner, with US government research funding involving Australian research organisations totalling AUD386m in 2024, the Australian Academy of Science said.

The institution has urged the Australian government to work with American counterparts to mitigate risks, saying Australia must “resist foreign interference” in its own research activities.

Professor Jagadish also asked that the government provide strategic guidance to research institutions as they consider how to respond. 

The Group of Eight, which represents eight of Australia’s leading higher education institutions, has also separately raised concerns over the survey.