Mary Beth Leigh
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marybethleigh.bsky.social
Mary Beth Leigh
@marybethleigh.bsky.social
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Art-science producer, environmental microbiologist, professor (University of Alaska Fairbanks), dancer, cellist, Okie.
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Reposted by Mary Beth Leigh
nigelgoldenfeld.bsky.social
🧪 #NIH

You may have seen this morning that employees at NIH wrote an open letter to the Director (cheekily called the Bethesda Declaration). You can read it and sign a supporting letter here.

www.standupforscience.net/bethesda-dec...

Please consider signing and forwarding on.
Bethesda Declaration — STAND UP FOR SCIENCE
Support NIH Staff Now!
www.standupforscience.net
June 9, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Reposted by Mary Beth Leigh
dangaristo.bsky.social
In light of the skinny budget (55.8% reduction), 6 past NSF directors and 7 NSB chairs have sent the House Committee on Appropriations a letter advising doubling the NSF budget.

"We face a fork in the road. Do we want to win or concede the race for new knowledge and a competitive STEM workforce?"
Key paragraph of letter: We believe these challenges can be met, but not with the draconian budget plan and staffing reductions just released by OMB. Such a budget would thwart scientific progress, decimate the research workforce, and take a decade or more to recover. Achieving the President’s vision requires a major enhancement of the NSF budget, ideally a doubling of the FY25 level over the next few years and sufficient staff to execute this vision. In the current political climate, we know this is a bold request. We make it, nonetheless, to say -- if we truly wish to realize this vision, we must commit to a historic investment in fundamental research and education in a manner that leaves no doubt about the United States’ intentions with our international competitors. We face a fork in the road. Do we want to win or concede the race for new knowledge and a competitive STEM workforce? For 75 years winning that race has been the foundation of American prosperity and national security. Adopting the proposed cuts would fast-track China’s plans for technological dominance. As Senator Todd Young said in his March 25th Washington Post op-ed, “…Our policymakers should lock arms with the science-and-technology dreamers and doers across the country — from Silicon Valley to the Silicon Prairie — and recognize that basic research isn’t a federal handout to help sustain academia. Instead, it is a vital ingredient in our innovation future, economic and geopolitical competitiveness, and national security.” signatures of past NSF directors and NSB chairs
May 4, 2025 at 2:18 AM