Overview
#MarchForScience organized worldwide protests on April 22, 2017 (Earth Day) defending scientific integrity and evidence-based policy in response to Trump administration’s climate denial and proposed research cuts.
Origins (January 2017)
Trigger Events
- Trump inauguration coincided with:
- EPA climate data removal from websites
- Gag orders on federal scientists
- Proposed 20% NIH budget cuts
- Climate change denial appointments (EPA, Energy, Interior)
Reddit Organizing
- January 26: Reddit user proposed “Scientists’ March on Washington”
- Subreddit r/MarchForScience gained 100K subscribers in 48 hours
- Debate: Should scientists be “political”?
- Organizers emphasized science is non-partisan, but policy matters
April 22, 2017: Global March
Scale
- 1 million marchers across 600+ cities worldwide
- Washington DC: 100,000+ (main march)
- Major turnouts: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, London, Berlin, Sydney
Demographics
- Scientists, educators, students, families
- Lab coats, beakers, microscopes as props
- Clever signs: “What do we want? Evidence-based policy! When do we want it? After peer review!”
Key Messages
- Climate change is real and human-caused
- Fund scientific research
- Protect scientific integrity from political interference
- Science benefits everyone, not just elites
Notable Moments
Celebrity Scientists
- Bill Nye hosted DC rally
- Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha (Flint water crisis whistleblower) spoke
- Dr. Lydia Villa-Komaroff (geneticist) gave keynote
Best Protest Signs
- “There is no Planet B”
- “Science: It’s not a liberal conspiracy”
- “Make America Smart Again”
- “Funded Research Makes Me Hot” (climate pun)
- “What do we want? Evidence-based policy! When do we want it? After peer review!”
Criticisms
Politicization Debate
- Some scientists argued march was too overtly anti-Trump
- Fears of alienating conservative allies
- Concerns about confirming “elitist liberal scientist” stereotype
Diversity Issues
- Initial organizing committee lacked racial diversity
- Added diversity chairs after backlash
- Emphasis on intersectionality between science and social justice
Impact
Short-Term
- Boosted scientist activism (more op-eds, Congressional testimony)
- Inspired STEM professionals to run for office (314 Action PAC)
- 2018 midterms saw 9 PhD scientists elected to Congress (record)
Long-Term
- Annual Science Marches continued 2018-2019 (smaller)
- Scientists became more vocal on Twitter, media
- Climate communication strategies evolved
- COVID-19 later vindicated “trust science” messaging (and complicated it)
Institutional Responses
- Scientific societies (AAAS, AGU) increased advocacy
- Universities issued statements supporting academic freedom
- NIH, NSF budgets ultimately maintained/increased (Congressional support)