Federal funding affects us all

Science and Education Funding Strengthens Mansfield’s Future

Federal funding might seem like something that happens far away — but here in Mansfield, it shows up in our everyday lives. From our schools to our hospitals to our local employers, federal support for education and science quietly helps our community thrive.

I grew up on a goat ranch in Mansfield. My parents ran a successful local business, and I graduated from Mansfield High School and then Tarrant County College. I became a scientist because of federal programs that gave students like me a chance to participate in scientific research. Today, I study how genes linked to autism affect parent–child relationships, and I’m developing new biosecurity tools to neutralize harmful toxins. My colleagues are 3D-printing hearts for transplants and developing new treatments for cancer. These projects are only possible because of federal investment — and they reflect the kind of research that helps make life healthier and safer for everyone.

Education Support That Stays Local

Mansfield Independent School District (MISD) — our community’s largest employer—receives over $35 million in federal funding each year. This supports education, nutrition, technology, and more. It’s one of the ways federal dollars come directly back to our students and teachers.

Our local college, Tarrant County College, also benefits from multi-million-dollar federal grants.

These funds support workforce training, help students afford tuition, and provide hands-on experience in high-demand, practical fields that benefit our community. Information about these funds is publicly available and audited to ensure fiscal responsibility. These aren’t government handouts—they’re investments in skills and careers that strengthen our local economy.

Science That Benefits Us All

The connections between science, business, and community health are closer than we often realize. In Tarrant County — as across much of Texas—cancer and heart disease remain the leading causes of death, and our state has experienced one of the steepest drops in life expectancy nationwide.

Methodist Mansfield Medical Center provides care using treatments developed through research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Our local businesses benefit too: Mouser Electronics, for example, distributes components and technologies that originated with National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded research.

While the benefits of health and technology research are clear today, many of these discoveries began with basic science — the kind that might have been dismissed as “frivolous” or wasteful.

Science often progresses through unexpected findings that lead to real breakthroughs. For example, studying yeast taught us how human cells divide, which is critical in treating cancer and genetic diseases. Grants that fund this work are not handed out casually — scientists must go through a competitive, peer-reviewed process, and spending is carefully tracked to ensure

accountability.

Why Endowments and Private Funding Aren’t Enough

Some wonder why universities can’t fund research using their endowments. In most cases, endowment dollars are legally restricted—most often reserved for student financial aid. For example, my mom attended Texas Christian University with financial aid funded by its endowment — a resource now being cut due to new taxes. Endowments support access to education, but they can’t replace the infrastructure needed to do research.

Federal research grants cover the real operating costs of science: reagents, equipment, safety training and the skilled personnel who ensure that research is conducted ethically and legally.

And while private companies and philanthropists play a role, it’s federal dollars that fund the early stages of science — the kind of high-risk, high-reward research that leads to Nobel Prizes and long-term innovation that benefits all of us. Basic science discoveries often spark the breakthroughs that private companies later develop into products, businesses, and jobs. But without federal investment up front, that innovation pipeline dries up.

What We Can Do

This opinion piece is not intended to make a political statement; but instead, it seeks to find common ground that we can all support - our community relies on strong schools, accessible health care, and a well-trained workforce. Federal investment in science and education is one of the smartest ways to build that future.

Whether it’s MISD classrooms, training programs at Tarrant County College, or medical care at Methodist, these dollars are already working in our local community. It’s worth paying attention to how these programs are supported — and speaking up when funding decisions are being made. Contacting our elected officials in Congress is one way we can make sure these investments continue.

This is about keeping Mansfield strong, competitive and healthy — now and for decades to come.

- Lauren O’Connell, Ph.D., is a neuroscientist and professor at Stanford University. She is a graduate of Mansfield High School (Class of 2002) and Tarrant County College (Class of 2004). She received her Ph.D. in cellular and molecular biology from the University of Texas at Austin in 2011. After starting her research lab at Harvard in 2012, she joined the faculty at Stanford in 2017, where she now holds tenure.