We Interviewed Stanford's Dean of Research
What this video covers
A note on this one: Dr. Bhattacharya does not appear in this video. It is a Stanford Daily interview with Stanford’s Dean of Research, David Studdert, conducted by video managing editor Taber Cannon, in which Bhattacharya’s nomination to NIH director is one of several topics — alongside NIH indirect-cost caps, the Department of Education’s new DEI directives, and broader changes hitting Stanford research.
Studdert discusses the proposed NIH caps on indirect-cost reimbursement, which the Daily reported could cost Stanford roughly $160 million, and the university’s role in the lawsuit challenging the change. The interview also covers the Education Department’s order to halt race-conscious practices and what both shifts mean for the university’s research enterprise.
Bhattacharya’s nomination comes up in that context: a Stanford professor of health policy tapped to lead the agency now squeezing the university’s funding. The conversation captures the awkward institutional position — Stanford simultaneously losing NIH dollars and watching one of its own take the agency’s helm.
Key points
- Studdert addresses the NIH indirect-cost cap proposal and its estimated ~$160 million impact on Stanford’s research budget.
- He discusses Stanford’s participation in the lawsuit against NIH over the funding change.
- The interview covers the Department of Education’s directive ordering institutions to halt race-conscious practices.
- Bhattacharya’s nomination to NIH director is discussed as part of the broader upheaval in federal research policy.
- The video is useful context on the funding fight Bhattacharya inherited — not a statement of his views, since he is not interviewed.