This previous week was a busy one for the Union of Involved Scientists.
On Monday, a whopping 48 scientific societies, associations, and organizations—representing virtually 100,000 scientists from various disciplines—despatched a letter, organized by UCS, to members of Congress demanding they shield federally funded scientific analysis and federal scientists. Anybody who’s labored with any scientific group on a collective effort is aware of it’s fairly the feat to get such unbelievable unity within the scientific neighborhood.
On Thursday, the Marketing campaign Authorized Heart filed swimsuit on behalf of UCS and different teams towards Elon Musk and his so-called Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE) for performing past their energy to slash federal funding, dismantle federal companies, and hearth federal staff.
On Friday, UCS employees and members rallied with 1000’s of others on the Stand Up for Science 2025 occasions in cities and cities throughout the nation. I spoke on the DC rally, and I used to be impressed to see the turnout and power of the scientists and science supporters who trekked to the Nationwide Mall to inform the world in a unified voice that the administration’s assaults on science are unacceptable and the scientific neighborhood is not going to be silent.
That evening, I shared my rally message on MSBNC “Prime.” Right here is the full section on how the Trump administration’s all-out assaults on science and scientists are harming actual individuals’s well being and security.
This has been a difficult month. Many within the scientific neighborhood—and within the basic inhabitants—have been unclear about what to do in response to the Trump administration’s aggressive and illegal disruptions to the federal authorities. The pace and scale at which the Trump Administration has taken a sledgehammer to federal science companies and the devoted consultants inside them has been alarming and disorienting. With restricted levers of energy throughout the federal government to cease these actions, and an entire disregard for coverage, course of, and legislation by Trump Administration officers, it’s no shock that individuals really feel disillusioned and powerless.
However we mustn’t. The scientific neighborhood has by no means been one to stroll away from a difficult downside. In truth, we pursue them. We undoubtedly face an uphill battle in our present setting, however there may be a path ahead. We should protect as a lot as we will within the federal authorities, forestall new damages from occurring, and rebuild from exterior the federal government when mandatory.
In my dialog with MSNBC host and White Home veteran Symone Sanders Townsend, she famous that no savior is coming to avoid wasting us, that we have to lead ourselves out of this, and it’s the scientists who are actually getting into the streets.
I felt that on Friday as I spoke to a sea of science supporters overlooking the Reflecting Pool. It’s us, because the scientific neighborhood, who now have the possibility to guide, to be courageous, and to do all the pieces in our energy to insist on an administration and a world that makes use of science for good.
I’m decided to face the wind and I hope you’re, too.
If this yr you haven’t already stepped as much as defend science from the Trump administration’s assaults by renewing your UCS membership, it’s not too late. Make a tax-deductible donation now.
