THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN US STAND UP FOR SCIENCE EVENT WORLDWIDE
In front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., hundreds of federal employees, researchers, and supporters took part in the Stand Up for Science rally last week. The U.S. Senate was in session a few blocks away, so the organisers carefully considered their options before deciding on Friday, March 7. The objective is to express disapproval of the severe budget cuts and layoffs that science-led agencies have experienced as a result of Trump administration choices.
On the same day, around 30 Stand Up for Science demonstrations took place across the nation. On the same day, supporters of the movement outside of the United States also demonstrated in their nations, increasing the total number of protests to 150 across the globe. The demonstration coincides with the Trump administration's repeated drastic reductions in research funding and widespread agency layoffs. This collective action's scope is generally regarded as unusual by the bulk of the scientific community and represents a massive reaction to the political climate of the country.
The 2017 March for Science, which took place during the first Trump administration and for comparable reasons, is a comparable event in recent history. The organisers of Stand Up for Science asked its forerunners for guidance on how to execute their demonstration.
Protesters gathered at the Lincoln Memorial on March 7 under the banner of calling for the reinstatement of federal employees who had been laid off, the restoration of public support to organizations that prioritize science and research, and an end to government censorship of scientific research. Additionally, the protesters reiterated their commitment to maintaining inclusivity and diversity in research. There were more than a dozen speakers, including well-known figures like Bill Nye and current and past members of both the Democratic and Republican parties in Congress. "Why do [scientists] take the truth so seriously?" asked Illinois Representative Bill Foster, a Democrat and the sole physicist in Congress. I believe it's because we work at the boundaries of knowledge. Therefore, the extra ambiguity of whether the individual providing the data is telling the truth is intolerable.
Francis Collins, a former director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), attended the Stand Up for Science demonstration as well. Speaking to the public for the first time since leaving the NIH, Collins criticised the anti-science agenda of the Trump administration, saying, "While moving fast and breaking things might be an appropriate mantra for Silicon Valley, let's go with 'first do no harm.'" This is a better mantra for decisions that could potentially disrupt an institution with a stunningly positive track record that affects the future health of the nation.
In addition to serving as a reminder of the continuous struggle to defend research and evidence-based policies, the Stand Up for Science event highlights the scientific community's tenacity and mission to "first do no harm and help others above all else.”
