Out of the Lab and into the Streets: Researchers and Doctors Rally for Science Against Trump Cuts
Researchers, doctors, and their patients ventured out of labs, hospitals, and offices to stand up to what they call a blitz on life-saving science by the Trump administration. A couple thousand gathered at the Stand Up for Science rally in Washington, D.C., with similar rallies planned in over 30 U.S. cities.
Politicians, scientists, musicians, doctors, and their patients made the case that firings, budget, and grant cuts in health, climate, science, and other research government agencies in the Trump administration’s first 47 days in office are endangering not just the future but the present.
"Science is under attack in the United States," said rally co-organizer Colette Delawalla, a doctoral student in clinical psychology. "We’re not just going to stand here and take it. American scientific progress and forward movement is a public good, and public good is coming to a screeching halt right now."
Health and Science Advances
Health and science advances are happening faster than ever, said former National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins, who helped map the human genome. The funding cuts put at risk progress on Alzheimer’s Disease, diabetes, and cancer, he said.
"It’s a very bad time with all the promise and momentum," said Collins. "I’m very worried about my country right now."
Personal Stories of Survival
Emily Whitehead, the first patient to receive a certain new type of treatment for a rare cancer, told the crowd that at age 5 she was sent hospice to die, but CAR T-cell therapy "taught my immune system to beat cancer" and she’s been disease-free for nearly 13 years.
"I stand up for science because science saved my life," Whitehead said.
Rallies Across the Country
The rally in Washington was at the Lincoln Memorial, in the shadow of a statue of the president who created the National Academy of Sciences in 1863. Some of the expected speakers study giant colliding galaxies, the tiny genetic blueprint of life inside humans, and the warming atmosphere.
"We’re looking at the most aggressively anti-science government the United States has ever had," astronomer Phil Plait told the booing crowd that carried signs that were decidedly nerdy and attacking President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
International Support
The rallies were organized mostly by graduate students and early career scientists. Dozens of other protests were also planned around the world, including more than 30 in France, Delawalla said.
"The cuts in science funding affects the world," she said.
Conclusion
The rallies brought together scientists, doctors, patients, and advocates to stand up for science and demand protection from the devastating cuts to science funding. The message was clear: science is essential to the future of our planet, and the Trump administration’s actions are putting that future in danger.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why are scientists and doctors protesting?
A: Scientists and doctors are protesting the severe cuts to science funding, which are putting at risk progress on life-saving research and potentially threatening the future of our planet.
Q: What are the specific areas of science being affected by the cuts?
A: The cuts are affecting various areas of science, including health, climate, and basic research, as well as programs that support scientists and their work.
Q: What can people do to support the cause?
A: People can support the cause by contacting their elected officials, sharing information about the importance of science funding on social media, and supporting organizations that advocate for science and funding for research.
