When science and facts are under attack, what do we do?
Stand up fight back!
Stand up fight back!
On Friday March 7th, we took a trip up to the Stand Up for Science rally at the Indianapolis Statehouse to find out what the science community had to say.
There was a general feeling of frustration that loomed in Indianapolis, but it was matched by a feeling of enthusiasm and hope by the speakers.
Every species – its extinction risk is linked by how biodiverse its ecosystem is. So species that live in more diverse ecosystems are less likely to go extinct.
We are made stronger by those around us and we are made stronger by diversity.
That is true throughout the animal kingdom, throughout our planet, and it’s absolutely true for human beings.
That was Roger Bryant, Earth scientists from Purdue University.
8 speakers addressed the crowd on the steps of the statehouse in Indianapolis, in support for the Stand Up for Science rally that occurred in 60 cities across the US.
Farmers count on our research. They count on our research to grow food. When we cut public funds for research, we are cutting into the support we offer our farmers, and we are cutting into their ability to keep us healthy and fed.
What is more – we are staring down the face of a rapidly changing climate.
That was Jessica Eise, a social scientist from Indiana University.
A crowd of around 400 demonstrators were gathered, with almost as many signs.
And there a lot of shared grievances about recent executive orders, from layoffs at NOAA, to funding cuts at the National Science Foundation, and the National Health Institute, equating to billions of research dollars lost.
I am a fish biologist, or I was a fish biologist until last Thursday. So I was one of the 850 estimated probationary employees that were fired, altogether last Thursday. We were developing very high resolution models, oceanographic models, that could be used for science but also for the fishing industry, for navigation, for oil and gas operations, all of that should increase safety and improve viability of many commercial activities in the US.
So, all this research now, the future of that research is uncertain.
I was also involved with a big project, the final objective was to understand the impacts of climate change on our stocks, and that was a direct response of managers, and fishermen, and coastal communities – because they are seeing on their ecosystem. They’re suffering hurricanes, red tides, fish declining. It’s kind of heartbreaking that they are left without that information that they need.
For those of you way in the back, you’ve got to just hear about some of the signs I’m seeing up here in the front. Like, No Science, No Beer? I don’t want to live in the world. Think research is expensive? Try ignorance. Okay.
Two Indiana state legislators made comments, including Andrea Hunley, Indiana District 46 State Senator.
Now let’s talk a little bit about economic development. This industry contributed $95 billion to our states economy in 2023 alone and employs nearly 70,000 hardworking Hoosiers.
We’ve got to stand with our physicians, we’ve got to stand with patients, we’ve got to stand with our hospitals, and we’ve got to stand up for science.
Victoria Garcia Wilburn, Indiana District 32 State Representative also addressed the crowd
Who remembers when we all believed in science and had one of the most cutting-edge cancer research institutes in the country? Who remembers that?
Who remembers when Lance Armstrong came right here to the state of Indiana to receive treatment for his cancer care?
And your voices have been silenced, your innovation has been dismissed.
The final speaker came from the IU school of medicine.
I’m Hari Naksharti, I’m a cancer researcher working on breast cancer for the last 30 years. Approximately 2.4 million Hoosiers get cancer in their life. That’s 2 out of 5. One dumb tumor is smarter than 100 cancer biologists. We need well-trained cancer biologists, and clinicians and surgeons, to take care of the cancer patients.
For A Moment of Science and WFIU, I’m Lucas Fisher.
