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 three economists who study the benefits of science and knowledge production, and a medical researcher originally from Ukraine. Two of us are also co-founders of #ScienceForUkraine, a grassroots initiative that helps support Ukrainian scientists and students.
Damage to a country’s science system – like what is happening in Ukraine – can harm economic growth for decades. 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.
