Stand up for science: It’s the most patriotic position you can take
Last weekend, supporters around the globe joined the March for Science. This was the first organized effort in history in which scientists have stood up for what we do every day and often for a lifetime — push forward human knowledge for the betterment of society.
But, we are at a crossroads. Many of us believe that science is under existential threat.
In general, scientists go to great lengths to avoid politics, and many of us felt very hesitant about the March for Science. Never before has this type of engagement been needed. Prior generations of Americans grasped the value of science instinctively. Perhaps advances were more tangible then: The electric light bulb changes societal and economic structure. The polio vaccine saves your friends and neighbors. You see a man walk on the moon. The computer revolutionizes the world. People’s lives were changed forever. Now, technology is so interwoven into our daily lives that science and progress are taken for granted.
More than ever we need to stand up for science. So many challenges remain unsolved; so many people remain in need. Alzheimer’s disease is uncured; carbon pollution is changing our climate; antibiotic-resistant bacteria are undermining hard-fought medical advances.
The most powerful tool at our disposal is science. And it is not being deployed aggressively — it is under siege, at the very moment when it is needed most. The (Trump) White House has proposed savage cuts to numerous scientific agencies — including the National Institutes of Health. If implemented, this could cripple medical research and innovation for the foreseeable future.
American science has emerged as the shining achievement of our country over the past 100 years. Now, we must all stand up for science: the people of America, elected officials, and scientists everywhere. There is nothing more American than a love of science.
Reach out to your U.S. representatives, senators and the White House. Tell them science matters. Tell them American academic science is a nonpartisan endeavor that benefits all of humanity.