FIGHT IGNORANCE. FUND SCIENCE. BE PROGRESS.
We are an official affiliate march for the March for Science in Washington, D.C. Please join us to speak up for evidence based science!
To donate, click here. Donations will fund a sound system and other logistics.
Mission
We are people who value science and recognize how science serves. We come from all races, all religions, all gender identities, all sexual orientations, all abilities, all socioeconomic backgrounds, all political perspectives, and all nationalities. Our diversity is our greatest strength: a wealth of opinions, perspectives, and ideas is critical for the scientific process. What unites us is a love of science, and an insatiable curiosity. We all recognize that science is everywhere and affects everyone.March Information
Date: April 22, 2017
Time: 11:00 AM
Location: South Carolina State House
March Gear
T-shirts are available! More designs will be coming soon; you can purchase them here.
Speakers
Welcome & Introductions - Michelle Edgar, Greater Columbia Action Together
Benediction - Dr. Will Goins, Interfaith Partners of SC
National Anthem - Chase Asmer
Keynote: The Meaning of Science - Hector Flores, M.Phil., Ph.D., SC Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics
Science, Sustainability & Watersheds - Autumn Perkins, Sustainable Midlands, Greater Columbia Action Together
Poems - Ed Madden, Poet Laureate, City of Columbia
Computer Science & Engineering - Duncan Buell, University of South Carolina
Environmental Education/Science Education - Kristin Ziegler, School of Zoological and Botanical Studies (ZooBot)
Science & Environmentalism - Christopher Hall, South Carolina Sierra Club
Poems - by Tara Powell
The 21st-Century Knowledge Economy - Arik Bjorn
Public Health, Federal Science Funding - Myriam E. Torres, PhD, MSPH, USC Arnold School of Public Health
Environmentalism and Sustainability in Communities of Color - Tameria M. Warren, Ph.D.
Citizens, Science & Healthcare - Sara McBride, Greater Columbia Action Together
Qur’an & Science - Chaudhry Sadiq, Peace & Integration Council of North America
Science that serves the common good
Scientists work to build a better understanding of the world around us. Science is a process, not a product -- a tool of discovery that allows us to constantly expand and revise our knowledge of the universe. In doing so, science serves the interests of all humans, not just those in power. We recognize that inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility in science are critical to ensure that science reaches its potential to serve all communities. We must protect the rights of every person to engage with, learn from, and help shape science, free from manipulation by special interests.
Evidence-based policy and regulations in the public interest
Science observes and asks questions about the world. Our understanding is constantly changing, presenting us with new questions and answers. Science gives us the ability to examine these questions, enabling us to craft improved policies and regulations that serve our best interests. Political decision-making that impacts the lives of Americans and the world at large should make use of peer-reviewed evidence and scientific consensus, not personal whims and decrees.
Cutting-edge science education
We support science education that teaches children and adults to think critically, ask questions, and evaluate truth based on the weight of evidence. Science is not a field that should be understood only by a small few -- every person, from every background, deserves an education that encourages scientific learning alongside the arts and humanities. Science works best when scientists come from diverse perspectives, and we must work to encourage and support a new generation of scientists that reflects that.
Diversity and Inclusion in STEM
Our scientific community is best served by including voices and contributions from people of all identities and backgrounds. A lack of diversity and inclusion in STEM thwarts scientific advancements by influencing not only who performs research, but the questions we seek to answer, who participates in studies, and, critically, what communities benefit from the innovations and services that science provides. We commit to promoting diversity and inclusion in science to build robust and resilient communities for the benefit of all people.
Open, honest science and inclusive public outreach
Restricting the free exchange of scientific research within local and global communities threatens to stall the scientific progress that benefits people all over the world. Gag rules on scientists in government and environmental organizations impede access to information that is a public right. Our tax dollars support this scientific research, and withholding their findings limits the public’s ability to learn from the important developments and discoveries that we have come to expect from our scientists. In addition, scientists often rely on the public to help identify new questions that need to be answered.
Funding for scientific research and its applications
De-funding and hiring freezes in the sciences are against any country’s best interests. We believe that the federal budget should reflect the powerful and vital role that science plays in supporting our democracy. We advocate federal funding in support of research, scientific hiring, and agency application of science to management. This funding cannot be limited to a few fields or specific demographics -- scientific support must be inclusive of diverse disciplines and communities.
Goals
Humanize science
Science is first and foremost a human process -- it is conducted, applied, and supported by a diverse body of people. Scientific inquiry is not an abstract process that happens independent of culture and community. It is an enterprise carried out by people who seek to expand our knowledge of the world in the hope of building a better, more informed society. Our wealth of personal experiences and perspectives is our greatest strength. In putting the people who do science at the forefront of this discussion, we can show that scientists come from all cultural backgrounds, belief systems, orientations, genders, and abilities.
Partner with the public
We join together as scientists and supporters of science to embody the importance of partnerships formed between scientists and the broader community. Science works best when scientists share our findings with and engage the communities we serve in shaping, sharing, and participating in the research process. We also look to the public for inspiration about what new questions need to be asked about the world around us. These lines of communication must reach all communities and must go in both directions. If scientists hope to discuss their work with the public, they must also listen to the public's thoughts and opinions on science and research. Progress can only be made by mutual respect.
Advocate for open, inclusive, and accessible science
We strive to break down barriers in our own community. A career in science should be an option for anyone and everyone who is passionate about discovery. Likewise, the process and results of scientific inquiry should be open to all. A lack of diversity in science hampers the research we do, the answers we seek, and our ability to serve our communities. Science can ably and accurately inform the decision-making of all people, from the choices we make as consumers to the policies we adopt through public debate. It can only do so, however, if we value the voices of all members of our global community. By bringing scientists and science supporters into public spaces around the world, we voice our support for science and its benefits to be freely available to people of all countries and backgrounds.
Support scientists
We gather together to stand up for scientists, including those in public service. We pledge to speak up for them when they are silenced, to protect them when they are threatened and to provide them with support when they feel they can no longer serve their institutions. Scientists in both public and private sectors must be allowed to communicate their results freely, without misrepresentation or distortion and without the fear of retribution.
Affirm science as a democratic value
Science is a vital feature of a working democracy, spurring innovation, critical thinking, increased understanding, and better, healthier lives for all people. By marching in Washington, DC and around the world, we take one of many steps to become more active in our communities and in democratic life. We hold our leaders -- both in science and in politics -- accountable to the highest standards of honesty, fairness, and integrity. We gather together to send a message: we will all work to ensure that the scientific community is making our democracy stronger.
Mission, Principles and Goals shared with the National March for Science.
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