Supporters of science will march
POLITICS /
Most people understand that seat belts, accurate weather forecasts and the polio vaccine save lives. And that energy-efficient appliances and smarter car engines can save consumers money.
And many get that these advances were made possible by publicly funded research, from tax dollars sent from Washington to universities
and labs nationwide.
“It’s those sorts of benefits we stand to lose,” said Paul Ellis, an evolution, ecology and organismal biology undergraduate student at Ohio State University. “Improvements that save you time, that save you money and that make your quality of life better.”
Science is under attack, some say, and funding for basic research is on the chopping block in President Donald Trump’s proposed budget.
That’s why thousands of participants are planning to attend demonstrations in cities across the United States on Saturday, which is Earth Day.
Scientists and science supporters will stage a political experiment of sorts by marching in Washington and at more than 400 satellite events for continued public faith in and funding of science.
“It’s not just about scientists. In fact, it’s mostly not about us,” Ellis said. “It’s about the panoply of benefits that our research has for the public.”
In Columbus — home to Battelle, Ohio State University, Nationwide Children’s Hospital and a community of other research facilities — organizers expect thousands to turn out for the local march.
“It is a historically unusual thing for scientists to be taking to the streets like this,” said Chris Otter, an OSU historian. “For scientists to collectively worry that scientific truth and research and methods are under attack — I think that’s pretty much unheard of.”
Demonstrators say the forces building up to the protest are many and longstanding.
Lawmakers and voters seem to approach science policy with emotion, not data, many say.
Researchers are scraping for funding and could face steeper budget cuts. And the scientific community is facing widespread distrust and doubt — in part caused by its failure to connect meaningfully with the public.
Take climate change, for example. Although nearly all scientists and most countries say humans are responsible for global warming and its consequences, Trump, his cabinet and many Republicans and supporters say the science is slanted.
“Science is all about a search for truth, and truth seems to be undervalued today,” said Brad Peterson, an astronomy professor emeritus at Ohio State.
By leaving scientific positions at federal agencies vacant and discrediting climate change research, the
Trump administration has devalued science, said Kim Landsbergen, a visiting associate professor of biology and environmental science at Antioch College.
“We’ve seen a huge arc. The trustworthiness of science was not always politicized,” she said. “This is a broadening gap. We would like to see science-informed policy continue to be something we value as a country.”
Otter said the 1960s space race was a matter of politics and international superiority, as was the development of atomic weapons. Health policy has been shaped and reshaped by medical research into vaccines, cures and genetic sequencing.
And yet, he said, Saturday’s demonstrations mark a departure for the scientific community, which has historically strived for neutrality.
“There’s a lot of concern right now about whether scientists are appearing political by doing this,” Otter said, But “scientists feel they have no choice but to stand up to these trends.”
That struggle is playing out internally, too, said Jenna Antonucci, an OSU microbiologist and local march organizer.
“We found in planning the march that the biggest obstacle is fear. It’s incredible how much fear there is about not getting it right or being too political,” Antonucci said.
She and other organizers insist the protest is not aimed at Trump, but at decisions that have eroded trust in science.
“Were the situation reversed and a Democratic administration was proposing the (budget) cuts, we would still be here. That’s not what it’s about,” Ellis said. “Science is partyblind. There’s no test to receive the benefits of research based on partisanship.”
Tens of thousands of people have pledged to march in Washington, including many Ohioans.
Sarah Schoppe-Sullivan, a human sciences professor at Ohio State, is making it a family vacation. Her husband, a statistician, and her daughter, who wants to become a cat cognition researcher, will make the trip, too.
“People have natural curiosity about the world, and science lets us harness that. It’s a powerful thing,” Schoppe-Sullivan said. “This is one of the things we’re the most passionate about as a family.”
Peg McMahon, a fourth-generation horticulturist from Cleveland, said she is making the 400-mile drive to put a face on science.
“People are afraid of science. It shouldn’t be scary,” she said. “It’s a friendly face, not someone in a white lab coat looking like Dr. Frankenstein.”
Nicole Sintov, an assistant professor of sustainability behavior and decision making at Ohio State, said many of her colleagues who have vowed to be apolitical are planning on attending the local or national marches.
“There’s this stigma: As a scientist, you’re supposed to be neutral. But we’re not, we’re human,” she said.
In Columbus, the March for Science demonstration will include a pancake breakfast put on by Ohio State food scientists and teach-ins by the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium and nonprofit Green Columbus. Leading up to the event, Actual Brewing is hosting a sign-making event Wednesday.
Efforts to reach out to the public will have to continue after Earth Day, Sintov said.
“We’re not the best at connecting with people. It’s not part of getting tenure, so a lot of us tend to dismiss it,” she said. “Everything that’s happening is a wakeup call to scientists and non-scientists alike. If we don’t start talking, I fear things will get worse.”