"You just can't keep the levels of programs upin decreasing budgets, and that's hurtingscience," he says.

But if cuts are deep, the effects would extendbeyond graduate students, says Martin.

"Research is symbiotic with the entireeducational program at Harvard," says Martin."Education would suffer if research was cut back.Research is an important part of what attracts thetop students."

Immediate, steep cuts could signify the end ofmajor projects, Casey says.

"I think the most important thing for HarvardUniversity is not to have large, immediate,arbitrary disruptions of major programs," he says."In that situation it shuts down entire programs."

Harvard's ability to respond to a funding cutdepends on the speed of the reductions, Long says.Bills passed by this session of Congress wouldaffect next year's budget.

"There's a substantial lag time," Long says."It might be a few years down the road before wesaw an effect of an action of this Congress."

The immediate impact of a cut in funds "wouldbe on new awards," not on existing awards, saysPatricia B. Tucker, director of awards managementand resource information at the Office ofSponsored Research.

Most awards are granted for three to five yearsat a time, Long says. Existing awards, therefore,would be protected temporarily.

"They can honor what they've already promisedus," he says.

But awards often come up for funding review ona yearly basis, says Georgi, and so even existingawards would not be completely immune.

"We get scientific approval for five years buthave to submit a budget for each year," saysGeorgi, who was recently told to expect a fundingcut in his NSF grant.

Harvard's Reputation

If federal research funding is cut, Harvard'sreputation for doing solid research may helpdampen the blow, several professors say.

Its reputation may allow Harvard to retain itsfunding better than smaller institutions can, saysAlan K. Long, director of the laboratories of thedepartments of chemistry and earth and planetarysciences.