SciLight
scilight.bsky.social
SciLight
@scilight.bsky.social
The newsletter that covers politicization of science-informed policy making and solutions to combat it. We like science here.
The EPA has quietly removed its updated 2025 Scientific Integrity Policy, rolling the agency back to its 2012 policy and erasing more than a decade of lessons learned about how to protect science from political interference. open.substack.com/pub/scilight...
EPA Pulls Down Updated Scientific Integrity Policy
Erasing over a decade of progress, the EPA move undermines protections for science and puts public health at risk.
open.substack.com
August 21, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Reposted by SciLight
BREAKING: A source tells me that the Trump administration has shut down public access to every single National Climate Assessment, the Congressionally-mandated quadrennial report assessing how climate change is affecting the U.S.

This is what you get when you try to access them online
June 30, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Reposted by SciLight
Fool's gold standard
via @scilight.bsky.social
Climate.gov Didn't Fit Trump's "Gold Standard" open.substack.com/pub/scilight...
Climate
NOAA experts provide data, tools and information to help people understand and prepare for a changing climate.
Climate.gov
June 26, 2025 at 5:22 PM
This is amazing news! BUT! And I'm SO SORRY FOR DOING THIS - the Trump administration has terminated billions in research funding at leading research institutions doing CRISPR research. Federal investment likely made this breakthrough possible. We'll likely see less of this in the future. #science
npr.org NPR @npr.org · May 15
For the first time, doctors have created a customized treatment using the revolutionary gene-editing technique known as CRISPR to treat a baby with a rare, life-threatening genetic disorder.
A promising genetic treatment tailor-made for a baby born with a rare disorder
For the first time, doctors have created a customized treatment using the revolutionary gene-editing technique known as CRISPR to treat a baby with a rare, life-threatening genetic disorder.
www.npr.org
May 16, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Science Left Behind: SciLight’s Inside Look at the Federal Brain Drain of 2025
open.substack.com/pub/scilight...
Science Left Behind: SciLight’s Inside Look at the Federal Brain Drain of 2025
Vacant leadership, mass firings, and the quiet dismantling of America’s scientific institutions.
open.substack.com
May 14, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Cuts to funding for #biomedical #research impact more than just the individuals in the lab - they affect our ability to innovate. Please read this great guest post by Dr. Catharine Young about the threats to the future of innovation in biomedical #science. open.substack.com/pub/scilight...
The High Cost of Falling Behind
Why U.S. Biomedical Innovation is at Risk
open.substack.com
April 3, 2025 at 4:15 PM
SciLight joins a multidisciplinary analysis today to bring attention to the appointment of David Geier to lead a study on vaccines and autism. The appointment of Geier to lead this study is a serious and dangerous misstep that will put public health at risk. open.substack.com/pub/theunbia...
The Appointment of David Geier: A Predictable Breach of Scientific Integrity in Vaccine-Autism Research
How Placing an Unqualified Science Denialist in Charge of Public Health Research Endangers Us All
open.substack.com
March 27, 2025 at 1:35 PM
It is a travesty that the Trump administration has rescinded the NIH's policy on scientific integrity. This opens the door to wide-scale political interference in agency science, and people will suffer as a result. open.substack.com/pub/scilight...
Trump Administration Rescinds First Scientific Integrity Policy
The decision prioritizes politics over science
open.substack.com
March 23, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Thanks to @aip.bsky.social FYI science for speaking with me about the importance of scientific advisory committees.
Agencies Closing Science Advisory Committees
NASA, NOAA, USGS, and other agencies are in the process of eliminating or significantly reducing their scientific advisory committees.
ww2.aip.org
March 21, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Trump Administration Begins Plans to Shutter Science Offices
open.substack.com/pub/scilight...
Trump Administration Begins Plans to Shutter Science Offices
NASA, EPA...which office is next?
open.substack.com
March 18, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Are you a #student attending an accredited #college or #university? We'd love for you to take this #survey regarding your perception of the #Trump administration's actions on your academic experience. Please share widely. The survey is open for one month. open.substack.com/pub/scilight...
A Survey on Trump's Impacts to Students
How are students feeling right now?
open.substack.com
March 17, 2025 at 5:29 PM
SciLight turns one year old today! Check out what we've accomplished over the past year. open.substack.com/pub/scilight...
One Whole Year of SciLight!
A look back at what we've accomplished together.
open.substack.com
March 12, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Thanks to @politico.com @eenews.bsky.social for covering the Trump administration disbanding our committee on science quality and integrity. What a loss for the American people. www.eenews.net/articles/res...
Researchers sound alarm as Interior snuffs out science panel
Six weeks after the Federal Advisory Committee for Science Quality and Integrity's first meeting, it was axed by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
www.eenews.net
March 7, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Reposted by SciLight
DOGE firings rattle Colorado ferret program as populations are on the mend
DOGE firings rattle Colorado ferret program as populations are on the mend
The federal firing spree in February hit Colorado’s black-footed ferret hub hard, where two-thirds of the recovering population is bred and housed
buff.ly
March 7, 2025 at 2:45 PM
There's still research funding that's frozen. Here is a guide from Dr. Bernat Navarro on how to contact your legislative representative and demand that your government continue to support critical public health research. #science #policy open.substack.com/pub/scilight...
A Guide to Contacting Your Legislative Representatives
Take action to protect public health research!
open.substack.com
March 7, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Breaking: Trump Disbands First Ever Scientific Integrity Committee open.substack.com/pub/scilight...
Trump Disbands First Ever Scientific Integrity Committee
A committee that I served on
open.substack.com
March 6, 2025 at 10:17 PM
This is an amazing win for federal workers and our scientific enterprise. Our take here: scilight.substack.com/p/nsf-is-rei...
March 3, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Breaking: DOGE Arrives at NOAA on Same Day that Neil Jacobs is Nominated as the Agency’s Head
open.substack.com/pub/scilight...
Breaking: DOGE Arrives at NOAA on Same Day that Neil Jacobs is Nominated as the Agency’s Head
SciLight has received reports that Elon Musk’s “DOGE” arrived at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) this afternoon.
open.substack.com
February 5, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Prior work by SciLight authors shows that reductions in the federal workforce impact health and safety for several years to come. Hold the line, #federal and #government employees! substack.com/@scilight/no...
Jacob Carter on Substack
Feds, hold the line! Reductions in the federal workforce can impact public health and safety for several years to come.
substack.com
January 30, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Reposted by SciLight
Five concrete strategies.

From @scilight.bsky.social
What Can I do to Defend Federal Science?
As expected, we saw an assault on science during the first week of the Trump administration.
open.substack.com
January 27, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Hey, @bsky.app community! If you are interested in #science #policy and politicization of science in government, follow us. We're experts on scientific integrity and former feds. We develop resources, too, to help defend science (e.g., this toolkit). scilight.substack.com/p/a-toolkit-...
A Toolkit for Federal Scientists
Information on rights, protections, and resources available to defend science for the public good
scilight.substack.com
November 26, 2024 at 3:22 PM
Department of Interior canceled seven oil and gas leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Some have decried this is a scientific integrity controversy. Is it? Read the details on this issue in SciLight's new post. #science #policy #sciencepolicy #news
March 21, 2024 at 2:11 PM
Another #Trump term will deepen us into the climate crisis. Today's post in SciLight discusses what #climate #science and #policy would look like should Trump win a second term as US president. Please make sure to subscribe if you want more science policy #news. open.substack.com/pub/scilight...
March 20, 2024 at 12:42 PM
What happens to EPA #science under a second #Trump term? We break down proposed plans from Project 2025 in our first official SciLight post. In summary, this is bad news for environmental protections. Real bad.
March 19, 2024 at 1:34 PM
Yesterday, we launched a newsletter focused on covering the politicization of science-informed policy making. If you care about these issues, then give us a follow. We'll have more content coming out soon! #science #policy open.substack.com/pub/scilight...
Coming soon: SciLight
Shining a Light on the Politicization of Science
open.substack.com
March 13, 2024 at 1:33 PM