When scientists from around the world rally on the National Mall Saturday, some faculty and student organizations will be in the crowd.
The March for Science, a demonstration celebrating the contributions of scientific research and demanding fact-based government policies, is set to take place Saturday on Earth Day in 500 cities around the world with a flagship demonstration in D.C. Faculty said they wanted to take part in the march to voice the concerns of the scientific community facing steep federal budget cuts and attacks on its credibility.
D.C. is expected to host the largest of Saturday’s marches. The protest, beginning at the Washington Monument and ending near the U.S. Capitol Building, will feature speeches and teach-ins about science and government advocacy, according to the event’s website.
GW’s biology department will also host a series of discussions Friday in Funger Hall, ahead of the march, centered on science and policy, according to a University release.
Evangeline Downie, an associate professor of physics, said she will protest with friends at a satellite march in Philadelphia. Downie said the demonstration will show the public and the government that budget cuts to agencies conducting scientific research block progress and prevent important discoveries.
President Donald Trump’s proposed budget would slash funding for the Environmental Protection Agency by 31 percent and the National Institutes of Health by 18 percent, costing more than 3,000 jobs, according to the document released by the White House.
Faculty said last month they were concerned about proposed cuts to the NIH, which funnels more than $23 million into GW research projects.
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