SYMP 6

Science Under Scrutiny: Insulating Scientists from Harassment and Political and Ideological Interference in Their Work

In today’s noisy media landscape and polarized political environment, scientists whose research is relevant to contentious issues such as biodiversity or climate change are under scrutiny more than ever before. What kinds of challenges are scientists and those who want access to their expertise facing today, and how are they responding? What can be done to insulate scientists from inappropriate pressures while giving them the necessary permissions and skills to effectively share their expertise with the public? In his first Inaugural Address, President Obama pledged to “restore science to its rightful place” and asked his science advisor to develop a plan to restore scientific integrity to federal policy making. In response, 23 departments, agencies, commissions, and offices released scientific integrity policies designed to foster a culture of scientific integrity, promote and maximize openness and transparency, and facilitate the professional development of government scientists and engineers. Some government entities, such as the Department of Interior and Environmental Protection Agency, developed strong policies and designated scientific integrity officers responsible for fully implementing them. Yet, scientists still report being discouraged or prevented from speaking with the public. In some cases, they must seek permission or have agency representatives present at interviews. Journalists express frustration about sustained problems with timely and unfettered access to federal scientific experts. Moreover, scientists feel pressure from both political actors and those outside of government. Well-intentioned non-profits, for example, may want to advocate for the protection of imperiled species using science that has become outdated. And now scientists face a new line of attack: the use of open records laws to access scientists’ email correspondence, which can chill scientific speech and make collaboration among researchers considerably more difficult. Scientists are lawyering up, and universities are struggling to balance academic freedom with the public’s right to know. This session will explore the challenges that scientists still face, take a hard look at the progress federal agencies have made on scientific integrity, and offer solutions for better ensuring that scientists can conduct and communicate their work, uninhibited by political forces. Attendees will leave the session with a better understanding of the role that scientists, governments, reporters, and scientific institutions can play in defending scientists from interference in their work and creating safe space for researchers to collaborate.