Inspired by the 1945 report “Science: The Endless Frontier,” authored by Vannevar Bush at the request of President Truman, the US government began a long-standing tradition of investing in basic research. And yet, funding for basic science—and for the education of those who can pursue it—is under increasing pressure. The new White House’s proposed federal budget includes deep cuts to the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation (though Congress may deviate from those recommendations). These losses have forced some universities to freeze graduate student admissions, cancel internships, and scale back summer research opportunities—making it harder for young people to pursue scientific and engineering careers. These chips themselves rely on decades of fundamental research in materials science and solid-state physics: high-dielectric materials, strained silicon alloys, and other advances making it possible to produce the most efficient transistors possible.