AAAS Leaders: We Must Stay Focused Amid Turmoil

15 February 2025

by: Andrea Korte

At a moment when the U.S. scientific ecosystem is fragile, the scientific community should focus its passion into action designed for impact, said AAAS leaders at the Feb. 13 opening plenary of the 2025 AAAS Annual Meeting in Boston.

AAAS Chief Executive Officer Sudip Parikh; AAAS Board Chair Joseph Francisco; and outgoing AAAS President and Meeting Chair Willie E. May introduced attendees to the meeting theme: "Science Shaping Tomorrow," which has both guided the wide-ranging, multidisciplinary meeting program and offered a path forward for the scientific enterprise during what Parikh called a "a moment of turmoil."

"Science, engineering and medicine are searches for truth, facts and objectivity. We live in a time when that seems under threat," said Parikh.

Francisco echoed this sentiment in a statement as AAAS Board chair, "The shifting landscape in the United States has caused confusion, anger, uncertainty, and anxiety among members of our community. These feelings are valid."

"Decisions made by all three branches of the U.S. government in the weeks ahead will affect our enterprise for years to come. AAAS is embracing our legacy and values to focus on what really matters: Ensuring the long-term strength of the scientific ecosystem. Staying true to our vision ensures that we and the next generations of exceptional scientists and engineers will advance science to serve society," Francisco added.

May noted that it is "crystal clear that the times we are living in require us to renew our determination to strengthen and safeguard our work."

"We can't let the political histrionics distract us from our best efforts to foster a resilient science and technology enterprise over the long term," he said. "We must remain focused on the long game."

May offered suggestions for how the scientific enterprise can bolster itself amid the uncertainty, which means staying focused on creative ways to invest in innovative research and research partnerships; cultivate a robust and adaptable workforce; and renew our dedication to scientific responsibility.

A strong scientific enterprise requires global collaboration to produce the best knowledge and talent and to benefit all, May said. Success must involve nonpartisan cooperation and investment across all sectors of our economy, with programs like the AAAS Center for Science Diplomacy that have a long history of recognizing and supporting science as a global enterprise and new initiatives like the Vision for American Science and Technology. Members of the VAST task force previewed the vision at the Annual Meeting, and will unveil its strategy Feb. 25. VAST will have a set of concrete policy proposals for a globally competitive 21st century U.S. science and technology enterprise - a vision that lifts the enterprise out of its current defensive crouch to again become the protagonist of its own story.

Parikh emphasized the importance of proceeding with focus and strategy even amid the turmoil. He noted that what got our nation to this point will no longer work to propel the next chapter of our story. He also expressed concern about how current actions are impacting U.S. science and engineering.

"Destruction for the ill-conceived notion of cutting costs didn't put an American on the moon and it didn't wipe smallpox from the face of the earth," said Parikh.

The current climate must not deter the scientific enterprise from continuing to develop a robust workforce, May said, calling particular attention to "the missing millions": those who have not yet joined the scientific enterprise or who have not been invited to join.

May counts himself as a someone who might have been one of those missing millions - as a child growing up in the projects of Birmingham, Alabama, he hoped to become a baseball player and had never met a chemist, but he was prepared for college-level chemistry thanks to the tutoring of his high school teacher. He completed a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from the University of Maryland, College Park; his later achievements include serving as undersecretary of commerce for standards and technology and director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Since 2018, he has led the Division of Research and Economic Development at Morgan State University, Maryland's largest historically Black university.

"It is essential that we continue to find ways to enable anyone who wants to be a part of STEMM to participate," said May.

Among the efforts to find those missing millions is the STEMM Opportunity Alliance, a network of more than 260 partners around the U.S. that will build the capacity of organizations and institutions to add 20 million new STEMM workers from every background to the U.S. economy by 2050. Another initiative, SEA Change, provides guidance to colleges and universities on how to build environments where creativity, innovation and talent can flourish, and where people from all backgrounds can contribute to the scientific enterprise.

May also called upon the scientific community to cultivate an ethical research culture and commitment to scientific integrity.

In an era when data and citation manipulation is on the rise, May noted that the Science family of journals have adopted tools to detect image integrity issues and make peer review of data sets easier.

May also offered suggestions for how individuals can take action during a critical moment.

Talk to the leadership at your institutions - and with your elected representatives - to share your priorities for strengthening and protecting the scientific enterprise, he said. Stay tuned into the news to be aware of policy changes that may affect your work and workforce, he added. He also urged attendees to continue to mentor and encourage students and early career scientists and engineers, even as they are discouraged in this time of uncertainty.

Said Parikh, "I can't promise you that every battle is going to be won."

Parikh, who described himself as an optimist even now, added, "We will put every ounce of effort into ensuring that this enterprise stays strong, does what is right for the community and does what is right for our American community."