Let’s promote the value of science in our lives
I’ve been privileged to observe scientific work as a researcher and as a writer. From that close-up view, I know the potential negative impacts of proposed cuts to federal research funding, the ongoing effort to censor scientific discoveries, as well as the push to deregulate environmental protection standards. I also know that scientists too often speak a unique lingo that only they understand, or, worse, don’t talk at all about their work to people outside scientific circles.
So my decision to participate in Saturday’s March for Science is prompted by my hope that this demonstration will usher in an era of open communication, where we are all invested in the benefits that a robust science community offers.
From promoting science education to advocating for increased federal research funding to promoting evidence-based policies that serve the public, science should serve the common good. Science has the potential to make all of our lives better, no matter what our background or beliefs may be.
Over the course of my time spent in research, I’ve worked alongside a wide range of dedicated and talented researchers. As a research assistant, I worked on projects that sought to better understand how the human body develops. Exploring these questions provides insight into congenital disorders, as well as possible therapies for a whole range of diseases. The research I worked on was made possible by funding from government organizations such as the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, as well as private organizations such as the March of Dimes.
As I shifted into working as a science writer, I’ve had the privilege of interviewing researchers about subjects ranging from their efforts to find better ways to monitor air pollution, to understand the effect groundwater removal has on Houston’s flood zones, as well as to answer basic questions about chemistry and biology.
This research has had one common point: Most of it is supported by either federal funding or private organizations. Our tax dollars fund research that is often too risky for private companies to invest in. In turn, these discoveries form the foundation for new drug development, innovations in technology, and shape best-practice recommendations for keeping our air and water clean, as well as ensuring that our food and drugs are safe for everyone.
The payoff from federal funding of research is that it makes all of our lives better. We all benefit from clean air and water, new disease treatments, and the jobs that will result from the innovation that research fosters. A strong science curriculum also offers the benefits of teaching students how to think critically, how to pose questions, and how to find and articulate the answers to these questions.
Beyond providing funding, our government has another important role in promoting the value of science. Research is, by its very nature, risky and unpredictable. Sometimes that new drug that patients and stakeholders are placing enormous amounts of hope in will turn out to have risky side-effects. Sometimes that new technology that looks so promising may have environmental effects that will harm people. We need a government to implement safety regulations and oversight in order to ensure that our air is clean, our water safe to drink, and our medicines will heal rather than harm.
As a science writer, my job is to communicate science discoveries to the public. What I’ve noticed is a culture where scientists remain cloistered in their labs, speaking mainly to other scientists. Some of this is by necessity, as the constant cuts to research funding in the past 20 years have left scientists scrambling to find the necessary funds to keep their labs running; public outreach has fallen to the wayside. Some of this is because of the fact that as science branches out into more and more subspecialties, scientists have learned to speak a highly specialized language. Watching this divide has been frustrating, and often heart-breaking, as I have met so many scientists who went into their fields out of a desire to help others. But their stories aren’t being told to broad audiences.
As I’ve witnessed the enormous outpouring of public support for science and the work of scientists, I’ve become hopeful. Science has affected all of our lives. It fuels our medical treatments, our environmental stewardship, and drives technological innovation. My biggest hope for this March for Science, which will take place from Sam Houston Park to City Hall at 11 a.m. Saturday, is that it will be the start of a growing wave of public support and awareness for science, one that informs and benefits our education system and public policy, as well as our community at large. It’s time to rally for the value that science brings to all our lives. Fairbank is a science writer and graduate student in creative writing at the University of Houston.