Some are hoping that the next march on D.C. might be comprised of scientists.
Inspired by the overwhelming turnout for the Women’s March, scientists on Reddit are kicking around the idea of organizing a march of their own in response to the Trump administration’s crackdown on government science agencies.
According to The Washington Post, University of Texas Health Science Center postdoctoral fellow Jonathan Berman got to work on the idea immediately.
In short order, the march had a Facebook page (whose membership swelled from 200 people on Tuesday night to more than 150,000 by Wednesday at noon), a Twitter handle, a website, two co-chairs, Berman and science writer and public health researcher Caroline Weinberg, and a Google form through which interested researchers could sign up to help.
“We were inspired (well, infuriated) by the current attacks on science from the new administration,” Weinberg said to WaPo. “Slashing funding and restricting scientists from communicating their findings (from tax-funded research!) with the public is absurd and cannot be allowed to stand as policy.”
Weinberg and Berman are planning a “virtual” meeting this weekend to discuss plans. Similar marches with the same theme are reportedly being planned in cities such as Boston and Seattle.
The organizers say the march is not just for scientists.
“Anyone who believes in empirical science [can participate],” the group’s website reads. “That’s it. That’s the only requirement.”
The group said in a tweet that a date for the march will be announced next week.
Featured image via @SethMoulton (Twitter). To follow Sky Palma on Facebook, click here.
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