"The reason these aspects of our jobs have been so challenging to automate is that they rely on something even more precious than our time: namely, our capacity for scientific decision-making. It is worth considering what we lose when we cede that—and our agency—to machines."

I wanted to show support for these brave public servants and to allow others, including the scientific community, to join me. In partnership with @standupforscience.bsky.social‬, we have a way for you to do that... www.standupforscience.net/bethesda-dec...

“Scientific knowledge is, fortunately, a public good, and as such, its benefits transcend international boundaries. But relinquishing its prominence in creating the future is nothing short of devastating for the United States.”

“Our calculations suggest that the proposed budgetary cuts to the NIH will create a social cost that is 16 times greater than the savings that the administration is attempting to achieve.” ITS 👏🏼 BAD 👏🏼 FOR 👏🏼 BUSINESS 👏🏼

If you care about the prosperity and safety that the US scientific enterprise provides, please reach out to your representatives. This proposed budget isn’t a done deal yet.

Scientists, I am asking us to do something that goes against our nature: Step away from fine-grained, nuanced arguments. Zoom WAY out. Share the big picture. Don’t soften the seriousness of this moment with “xxx may be ok in xxx circumstances” talk. It’s uncomfortable AND necessary.

I testified to a Senate committee about this in 2017 arguing that science is humanity's most important long-term investment. The goal of the reform movement is to identifying friction that interferes with making the most out of that investment. My remarks: osf.io/preprints/os...

The Trump administration just dropped an executive order, "Restoring Gold Standard Science" and there's lots to unpack. This EO reveals more about how the Administration will approach scientific integrity and science in regulatory contexts. Some initial thoughts. 🧵 www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

““What you are feeling is the disconnect between seeing that systems are failing, that things aren’t working … and yet the institutions and the people in power just are, like, ignoring it and pretending everything is going to go on the way that it has,”” www.theguardian.com/wellness/ng-...

people need to internalize, very quickly, that federal research grants are a hypercompetitive contracting process not charity, and that what Uncle Sam gets in return for that money is American dominance in the future

LISTEN TO ME. *NOW* IS THE TIME TO CALL YOUR REP AND SENATORS. NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU DO, OR WHERE IN THE US YOU LIVE. I'M HERE BEGGING YOU. #SaveNSF Here are your talking points: democrats-science.house.gov/imo/media/do...

We need you--every single one of you-- in the US to stand up, right now, and fight for NSF, NIH, USGS, NASA, USDA. Agencies Congress empowered to serve the public with impactful science and innovation. This is not a drill. This is our last stand. After this, there will be nothing left to fight for.

I grew up believing that we had learned the lessons of the German poem and Martin Luther King Jr's speeches. We would all speak out if we saw democracy threatened and the rule of law under attack. I will always speak out against wrong. I will always stand up for democracy. I will not back down.

The majority of people —56% in the US!—are worried about climate change, but not activated. Why not? Most feel helpless, hopeless, and don't know what to do. So more fear won't activate them. Rather, knowing what to do—and being invited to do it—will. Where to start? With a conversation today. 🧵

“Knowing the world is a group project, and everyone has something to contribute.” From @mjcrockett.bsky.social. I couldn’t agree more.

I sincerely think that universities should suspend their productivity standards for scientists and ask them instead to hold town halls in schools, public libraries, museums, shopping malls, and anywhere else and communicate what is being lost with the collapse of the research ecosystem.

Nothing will kill more children than the ongoing decimation of CDC, NIH, and USAID work to lift vaccine uptake in the US and world. Child survival rose 75% in the last 50 years. Vaccines account for 40% of that. Measles vax alone was 60% of the benefit. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

It’s all so overwhelming. There’s nothing I can do but offer to tell the stories of scientists affected by these actions, cuts and firings. If you want to tell your story for an illustrated portrait, I have here 20 science artists now volunteering - tell your story at bit.ly/faces_of_science.

The abolishment of the Department of Education & the continued reckless defunding of public education is a clear path to setting America back in technology, innovation, & competitiveness. Congress can & must stand up for the American people & stop the destruction of our federal education system. 8/

We are experiencing an assault on science unparalleled by anything I’ve seen in my life. It’s not one issue or another anymore, the entire institution is under attack by the most powerful individuals in the country. This Friday, where will you be? standupforscience2025.org

If you have experienced direct harm to your work/lab/job due to recent changes at US NSF, & are willing to share this on behalf of the Am. Society of Naturalists and NSF, please DM/ email me ASAP (this is time-sensitive) or submit story here sites.google.com/view/scienti... Please share widely

I made this the other night while procrastinating, mainly because I thought all the posts about the blackout were boring. It feels like there is momentum bringing people together!

US President Donald Trump is taking a wrecking ball to science and to international institutions. The global research community must take a stand against these attacks. https://go.nature.com/4kd1vIu

Briefly putting on my hat as @asn-amnat.bsky.social President: The ASN Council has just distributed an updated message to the American Society of Naturalists members with information about actions that can be undertaken to advocate for science, and scientists, within the US:

Hi! We're Skype a Scientist! We're a free program that matches scientists with classrooms, scout troops, libraries, & other groups for Q&As all about science. Get matched with a scientist for a virtual conversation! We have 30+ types of scientist & match weekly. www.skypeascientist.com/sign-up.html

For decades, the US government has painstakingly kept American science #1 globally—and every facet of American life has improved because of it. The internet? Flu shot? Ozempic? All grew out of federally-funded research. Now all that's being dismantled. 1/ www.technologyreview.com/2025/02/21/1...

The authors of a Comment article in Nature Human Behaviour propose six actionable steps of allyship that researchers, faculty members and educators can engage in to foster a diverse, equitable and inclusive academia. #Academicsky 🧪

It’s time to #standupforscience2025 - We’re making our voice heard about the importance of the American science ecosystem, and want you to join us. More information at www.standupforscience2025.org #scienceforall #sciencenotsilence

This will start to filter through the community today but the Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation Science Study section has been postponed to an unknown future date. The approvals at the highest levels that needed to happen for a federal review meeting to be held didn’t get done. 1/n

If you're perennially on here trying to figure out what's happening with the federal grant funding situation, this might not have much new in it, but here I'm trying to contextualize what we need do to immediately, and as this drags on. scienceforeveryone.science/p/what-shoul... 🧪

Of possible interest: National Academies webinar + consensus report on "Understanding and Addressing Misinformation about Science," Dec 19, 11am ET. www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/und...

“Polio vaccination is considered one of the greatest achievements in global public health.” Yes! Why would we willingly want to go back to a time when we didn’t have protection against a virus with the potential for horrible long term effects?

fantastic piece discussing the evolving role of scholars/scientists www.nationalacademies.org/news/2024/06...

🚨🚨 Out TODAY in Psych Bulletin!! 🚨🚨 After 5 long years, the NSF meta-analysis I led on children's gender stereotypes about STEM and verbal abilities just came out today in Psych Bulletin!! In the words of great cultural critic Stefon, it has everything... doi.org/10.1037/bul0...

I don't know who needs to know this, but Pro Publica has an online thing that will format a letter to your US health insurance company to demand the records behind a claim denial. (which the insurance is then legally required to provide in most cases) projects.propublica.org/claimfile/

“Change is essential to progress, but what must not change is the goal of a more prosperous, healthier, and safer world and the fact that science and technology remain among the most potent tools to achieve this for all.” www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

“NIH produces an astounding return on investment to the American taxpayer. In Fiscal Year 2022, NIH research funding supported 568,585 jobs and generated $96.84 billion in economic activity — that’s $2.64 of economic activity for every $1 of research funding.” www.researchamerica.org/2023-oped-us...

Research supported by NIH has led more than 100 Nobel Prizes and has supported more than 99% of drugs approved by federal regulators from 2010 to 2019. But come January, NIH may face a wrecking ball nytimes.com/2024/12/01/h...

This is a great, powerful piece, and there is a parallel argument: government investment in basic research in the humanities is crucial to building a vibrant, democratic culture, which will strengthen civic health and provide the knowledge we need to confront 21st cen challenges.

Imagine being a grown-ass professional take-haver and still thinking that science isn't political because E = mc² doesn't care about your feelings.

When I was 5, I loved science, which I took to be planets and magnets and chemicals and shit. Soon I realized science was a collective human activity, and these were just the objects of its attention. Anyway, whenever I read an OpEd on how science isn't political, I think "Are you 5 years old?"

My "New Heroes" project for the National Academies aims to capture the essence of leaders in science, engineering, and medicine through photography. I hope these quiet portraits will help humanize those who play a vital role in our collective existence. www.christophermichel.com/New-Heroes/N...

Well hello again, science community! Looking forward my feed having highlights from your papers and accomplishments in it again 😊

This initiative brings me so much joy. Maybe it will for you too?

A reminder to prepare and submit your abstracts for the 2024 American Society of Biomechanics Annual Meeting. The submission deadline is coming up on March 13th!

👋🏻 glad to see you all and looking forward to rebuilding a biomechanics community here!