This time, it’s going to feature thousands upon thousands of not just women, but women scientists.
Another day, another march announced in D.C. opposing the election of Donald Trump. That’s how it’s seems to be in the nation’s capital ever since Trump was sworn in on Jan. 20, and it will continue with a march of women scientist advocating for quality that has swelled to 14,000.
The movement started as a group text messge between four friends, and it swelled into an email chain that turned into a pledge of inclusivity signed by more than 14,000 women in scientists, according to a Climate Central report. The group, called 500 Women Scientists, was created in response to Trump and his views on science and women in general.
“(The Trump administration) directly impacts me,” Sarah Myhre, a paleoclimate postdoc at the University of Washington and a pledge signatory, said according to the Climate Central report. “My job security, the currency or value of my work in the public eye, where my research funding will come from, how I chart my career path: it impacts everything.”
The open letter states: “Science is foundational in a progressive society, fuels innovation, and touches the lives of every person on this planet. The anti-knowledge and anti-science sentiments expressed repeatedly during the U.S. presidential election threaten the very foundations of our society. Our work as scientists and our values as human beings are under attack. We fear that the scientific progress and momentum in tackling our biggest challenges, including staving off the worst impacts of climate change, will be severely hindered under this next U.S. administration. Our planet cannot afford to lose any time.”
Daniel J. Brown
Daniel J. Brown (Editor-in-Chief) is a recently retired data analyst who gets a kick out of reading and writing the news. He enjoys good music, great food, and sports, with a slant towards Southern college football, basketball and professional baseball.