Materials Researchers Join Historic March for Science

NEWSNEWS & & ANALYSIS EVENTS SCIENCE POLICY

Materials researchers join historic March for Science

www.marchforscience.com

he historic, April 22nd March for and their supporters who, starting at By 2:00 pm, starting time for the TScience in Washington, DC—with 8:00 am, huddled together in groups March itself, the crowd overﬂ owed the more than 600 satellite marches around on the National Mall to enjoy a variety area of the Mall around the Washington the globe—focused the world’s attention of music and the rally cries of scientists Monument and began moving up on the importance of science in daily life and their supporters onstage who kept Constitution Avenue, past the White as it celebrated the work and achieve- the crowd ﬁ red up. House, and on toward the Capitol build- ments of the scientific community, One materials scientist at the rally, ing. Science celebrities, including televi- including materials researchers. Mindaugas Rackaitis, a research manager at sion host Bill Nye (The Science Guy), March for Science organizers said, Bridgestone Tire in Akron, Ohio, explained led the charge, shouting out in support “We marched as an unprecedented coali- why he came to the March: “I disagree of science all the way. tion of organizations and individuals. with the way the US government is treat- At one of the satellite marches, pro- We marched because science is critical ing science.” He said he was particularly fessor of materials science and engi- to our health, economies, food security, disturbed by recent actions such as the dele- neering at the University of California and safety. We marched to defend the role tion of climate change information on the (UC), Merced, Valerie Leppert said the of science in policy and society.” Environmental Protection Agency website. atmosphere in Phoenix, Ariz., felt like a A cold rain came down most of the For himself and other scientists, celebration of science. Based in a rural day in Washington, DC, but it Rackaitis said, “there is this really area, Leppert would have had to travel did not deter the esti- emotional want for so- far to participate in a march in a metro- mated 100,000 ciety to appreci- politan locale such as San Francisco. She scientists ate science.” decided to stay an extra day in Phoenix following the Materials Research Society (MRS) Spring Meeting and join in the March, even though she was unable to stay beyond that for the festivities. Leppert said she is concerned because “we are rapidly exceeding the planet’s resources. It’s clear we’re going to need to innovate our way out of these con- straints.” And as a scientist, she feels it is important to provide the resources to train the next generation of scientists as well as provide the resources to support the work of science. “We’re lucky in this country to have this infrastructure that supports science in terms of the national user facilities,” she said. “It’s distressing to me to see the erosion in support for that effort in the last WASHINGTON, D.C. couple of decades,” Leppert said, in terms of public funding for public universities and cutbacks at user facilities. At another satellite march in Columbus, Ohio, materials researcher and MRS Fellow Len Brillson—a professor in the Departments of Electrical and

Downloaded484 MRSfrom BULLETIN https://www.cambridge.org/core • VOLUME 42 • JULY 2017. IP • address:www.mrs.org/bulletin 170.106.35.234, on 26 Sep 2021 at 20:16:17, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs.2017.152 NEWS & ANALYSIS SCIENCE POLICY

Computer Engineering and Physics at incorporated materials research The Ohio State University—said some and themes. 5600 people signed up for the Columbus At the Cool2Effect March for Science, which took place teach-in, for exam- on the square block lawn of the Ohio ple, there were Statehouse. presentations Despite a chilly, overcast day, about tech- Brillson said, thousands of people fi lled nological the block from end to end. advances for “The mood of the crowd was fes- preventing tive with lively music, including and mitigat- Thomas Dolby’s ‘She Blinded Me with ing carbon Science,’” he said. emissions. Brillson said many marchers carried At an Amer- signs with slogans such as “Science ican Chemi- Facts Not Alternative Science Fiction” cal Society or “Science, It Works!” children’s dem- Speakers ranged from medical doc- onstration, par- tors covering the importance of vaccines ticipants helped and breakthrough medical advances to an make colorful pack- BOSTON ornithology professor who showed the ing peanuts from corn importance of birds to the environment, starch instead of petro- Brillson said. “After the speeches, we all chemicals—literally, an often marched down High Street for several sticky, hands-on demonstration of blocks to the Columbus Commons area the creativity and versatility in materials The offi cial speeches largely advo- where there was another rally.” research today. cated scientifically informed poli- Brillson said what he appreciated cies and federal funding for science. most about the day “was seeing so many Satellite marches Gina McCarthy, former administra- thousands of Ohioans gathered together around the globe tor for the Environmental Protection to support science.” Cities representing key hubs of materials Agency, decried proposed large fund- Supporting science is the reason research participated in the April 22nd ing decreases for her former agency, as Joyce Wong, a professor of biomedical event, from Boston to San Francisco, well as congressional moves that she engineering at Boston University, joined and Tokyo to London. And each city said would disrupt scientifi c progress. the rally in Boston, “Science plays such carried its unique message ranging from Harvard Medical School geneticist an important role in our lives, but the lay a humble support for science to out- George Church said he and his col- public may not necessarily see the con- right protest against their current federal leagues were “grateful and concerned” nections between science/engineering and administrations. about funding for biomedical research in their lives.” Wong said it is important for particular, where rapid changes increas- scientists to tell “relatable stories” to show Boston ingly require broad discussion and an the public “why it is important to support Although the Boston event was rebranded informed population. Several invited science and not be afraid [of it].” as a “Rally for Science,” traffi c was still speakers also advocated greater diver- The March happened in tandem with disrupted as thousands of supporters con- sity in science-related fi elds, but few celebrations of Earth Day, which began verged on Boston Common from satel- made a direct connection to immigra- April 22, 1970, also in Washington, DC. lite rallies at various universities and tion, which Church said enriches the Like the March for Science, said Earth biomedical centers. The Boston Parks scientifi c community. Day Network—which is the sponsor- and Recreation Department said the city Catherine Klapperich, a professor ing organization—that fi rst celebration had at least 50,000 at the main stage area of biomedical engineering at Boston “activated 20 million Americans from with upward of 70,000 when including University, said she participated in the all walks of life and is widely credited the large children’s section. Among the Boston rally with her twin daughters, with launching the modern environmen- signs affi rming the importance of sci- age 9. “It was important for me to have tal movement.” ence, climate change garnered the most them see that people in their community Back in Washington, DC, the March expressions of concern; but other science care about science and truth,” she said. for Science incorporated an Earth Day topics were also visible, such as science’s Klapperich has seen how the March and tradition of teach-ins about the environ- application to public health and enabling the spirited discussions surrounding it ment and environmental concerns. Some technology. have profoundly impacted her graduate

Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.35.234, on 26 Sep 2021 at 20:16:17, subject toMRS the BULLETINCambridge • Core VOLUME terms 42 of• JULYuse, 2017available • www.mrs.org/bulletin at 485 https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs.2017.152 NEWS & ANALYSIS SCIENCE POLICY

students. “They are much more in tune and there is no obvious bias with how science is funded in the US, against science in the and much more aware of how changes in country’s legislative leadership can affect their future careers,” agenda. Klapperich said. Now, beyond their inter- Rich Bailey, ests in materials research, several stu- one of the To- dents also want to participate in public kyo organiz- policy. “This is new for me as a PI!” ers and facul- Likewise, Wong at Boston University ty at a local is impressed with her students’ attention university, to public policy alongside their interest speculated in biomedical engineering and bioma- that Japa- terials research. If funding of basic and nese sci- advanced research is reduced, “we run entists do TOKYO the risk of losing a generation of scien- not want to LONDON tists, including materials scientists and be perceived engineers,” she said. as advocates. Other than an- Tokyo ti-nuclear activ- Bemused shoppers watched as a ism, demonstra- 100-strong crowd of mostly foreigners tions also do not made their way through the Ginza dis- have a strong history in trict on April 22nd for the Tokyo March Japanese culture. for Science. Unlike its sister marches in Europe and the United States, the Tokyo San Francisco March had no speeches or booths, but In stark contrast to Tokyo, numerous At the terminus of the march, protest- was peppered with rallying cries like marchers in San Francisco said that ers enjoyed a celebratory Science Fair “Yes the earth is getting hotter, money support of science was a partisan issue and panels of speakers on topics like the won’t protect our water!” and “No sci- and their message was strongly against future of science. ence, no future!” The March lasted about the current presidential administration, For many protesters, however, the 30 minutes. with mantras such as “Make America issue was about more than just science. Due to last-minute permit approval think again” representing one chant on “I’m here because facts are really impor- by the police, the Tokyo March was still the milder side. tant to me,” said Dorit Grunberger, a a tentative affair one week before the At a kickoff rally, Adam Savage, former biochemistry researcher. “But it scheduled date. The March also was host of the television show MythBusters, goes beyond that. It’s about freedom of not able to tie in with Earth Day events warned the crowd against bias in science thought and respect for each other.” in the city’s large Yoyogi Park, a tra- and policy. “Bias is very dangerous,” he UC–Merced professor Leppert who, ditional site for public gatherings. This said. “It cannot only skew the results of due to circumstances, participated in may explain the limited publicity and a test, it can undermine our conclusions Phoenix instead of the Bay Area, also modest turnout. and our policies we make based upon pointed out the signifi cance of the sup- Alina Kudasheva, who just completed those conclusions.” port for science “as a proxy for the health her PhD in composite materials research An estimated 15,000 people marched of our democracy.” She referred back to at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, said in the San Francisco March for Science, the founding of the country on the ide- she would have attended had it not been one of several such marches that took als of The Enlightenment of which “two for her recent move to a prefecture 250 place in the science- and technology-rich of the core principles are rationality and miles outside the city. Kudasheva said San Francisco Bay Area on April 22nd. scientifi c progress.” she was not really aware of the impetus Protesters carried signs running the for the March, however: “I believe in gamut from uplifting to angry, but many London science and whether the government is of them simply promoted basic respect In the UK, the March also took more pro- or anti-science does not affect that, for the scientifi c method. “Science is not of a political turn. The looming pres- and currently, it also has no impact on a liberal conspiracy,” read one sign. “I sure of Brexit, a clampdown on immi- my research activities.” This kind of can’t believe we have to do this,” read gration affecting both researchers and view may seem like a luxury to US another. The crowd marched peacefully students, and fears around climate researchers, but in Japan, science and through the heart of San Francisco, change prompted thousands of protest- technology are generally well regarded down Market Street to the Civic Center. ers onto the streets of London. Buoyed

Downloaded486 MRSfrom BULLETIN https://www.cambridge.org/core • VOLUME 42 • JULY 2017. IP • address:www.mrs.org/bulletin 170.106.35.234, on 26 Sep 2021 at 20:16:17, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available at https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs.2017.152 NEWS & ANALYSIS SCIENCE POLICY

by bursts of spring sunshine, the mood Impact on public the numerous venues, but “scientists and was positive. Marching from the Science opinion and policy students are hearing the clarion call to Museum to Parliament Square, the par- Alan Hurd, an executive advisor at Los get politically active,” Hurd said. ticipants chanted “Science, not silence!” Alamos National Laboratory in New Wong (Boston) also sees this hap- and carried Earth-painted balloons. Mexico, attended the March held in pening. “I am excited about how many “There is uncertainty surrounding Santa Fe, which was also designed with of my colleagues are engaged in science the security of international collabo- speakers and science activities. When advocacy,” she said. Wong sees her col- rations and pots of money available asked what made him decide to partici- leagues participating in rallies, calling from European research councils,” pate, Hurd was stunned, “I never really their congressional representatives and said Suze Kundu, a materials chemist even thought I wouldn’t!” This is unsur- senators, speaking to congressional at Imperial College London, who was prising considering his experience with staffers, and working with scientifi c also one of the speakers at the rally. advocacy while serving as president of societies to educate staffers on the value “As much as European collaborators the Materials Research Society (2007) of science. would love to include us in projects, and, later, as a Franklin Fellow for the Funding for materials research is par- they are already saying that they are US Science and Technology advisor to ticularly important, Wong said, “because unsure as to whether they ought to, the Secretary of State (2012–2013). materials are all around us and neces- given that within the next two years The term “March” signifi es protest, sary for not only daily living but also in that research may not be able to con- Hurd said, which initially averted wide- high-tech applications from vehicles for tinue as it is now.” spread support of the broad global science outer-space travel to medical devices.” Paul Coxon, a materials scientist at community. However, once the semantics In terms of the impact of the March the University of Cambridge, was part were clarifi ed and science organizations, on public opinion about science, Hurd of a large delegation of Cambridge including the Materials Research Society, said, “As a one-time event, the March researchers at the March. “One major understood the effort to be a partnership will not move the needle in the US or factor in the success of UK materi- with the federal government to support the world. As an ongoing effort, maybe als science and research has been our the value of research, momentum quickly annually, it could have a substantial ability to attract and retain the very built up for the March, including the par- effect on the public depending on how best international talent,” he said. “It ticipation of policymakers. it plays out.” could become more diffi cult to recruit Sealing that partnership Senator Tom March for Science organizers pledge students and researchers to the UK in Udall, addressing the March in Santa Fe, that the historic event—which they cal- the future.” N.M., said, “I am excited to be here to culated drew ~1.07 million marchers honor scientists. I respect their intellect, worldwide—will be an ongoing effort their drive, their devotion to sci- to support science and keep the public entifi c reasoning and empiri- engaged about the importance of scien- cal data.” As a longtime tifi c research, building science literacy, advocate for science, and increasing science funding. Udall co-sponsored Hurd currently chairs ScienceCounts, the Scientific a not-for-profi t organization devoted Integrity Act. to fi nding out how to reach the public Hurd point- about the value of science. When con- ed out that sidering a 10-year-old child as an exam- Udall serves ple, he said, “If [the March] becomes a on the Sen- part of Earth Day celebrations, it could ate Appro- have lasting effect.” priations Committee Science writers Amanda Alvarez (@neu-

SAN FRANCISCO where fund- roamanda), Alison Hatt, Judy Meiksin ing for re- (@Judy_Meiksin), Don Monroe, search is div- Angela Saini (@AngelaDSaini), and vied up. In the William Schulz contributed to this long term, Hurd report, with photography by Amanda said, “this influ- Alvarez (Tokyo); Alison Hatt (San ence [of the overall Francisco); Angela Saini (London); March for Science] will Boston University/Cydney Scott be felt.” Not only were (Boston); and Earth Day Network, policymakers participating at earthday.org (Washington, DC).

Downloaded from https://www.cambridge.org/core. IP address: 170.106.35.234, on 26 Sep 2021 at 20:16:17, subject toMRS the BULLETINCambridge • Core VOLUME terms 42 of• JULYuse, 2017available • www.mrs.org/bulletin at 487 https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs.2017.152