On a rainy day in June 2017, I proudly held up a sign that said in bold Sharpie, “GOVERNMENT SCIENTISTS SAVE LIVES,” with the logos of federal agencies all over it at that year’s March for Science. As I walked around crowds with the poster, people would smile and take photos of it when they saw their agency’s logo. It was a glimpse at the pride felt by federal scientists for the life-saving work they do.
This past week has been brutal for federal workers of all kinds, scientists included. There was a complete bloodbath at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), with huge layoffs across the National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among other divisions. It has been heart-wrenching to see who has been ousted. Experts who devoted their lives to research and public health pursuits for the nation. Scientists and other public servants working on innovative new therapies for debilitating diseases, critical cancer research, and promising drug trials. Unmatched programs for supporting community preparedness for climate change. Key staff focused on food safety and drug development. Entire teams focused on sharing health information with the public. And this is all only what happened at HHS this week. Across science agencies, we’ve seen other major blows to scientific staffing with more reductions in force planned in the future.
We are now watching in real time as our nation shoots itself in the foot when it comes to our leadership in science. The United States has long been a leader in science, technology, and medicine. That prominence is due in no small part to federal investment in science and scientists: both federally funded research to universities, hospitals, and other institutions, and research conducted within government agencies.
With respect to federally funded research outside government, people come from around the world for an opportunity to study and advance scientific pursuits in the US, even if it’s only for a few months, or a degree program. It is worth it to many to move their lives across the world, even temporarily, to have access to the expertise and scientific enterprise we have here.
Within government, federal experts have worked tirelessly to advance the science and technology missions of the agencies they serve. The benefits and stability of a federal job, combined with access to federal government resources, has meant a large and reliable cohort of talent from the scientific community chooses to go into government and chooses to stay, year after year. This has yielded tremendous benefits for our nation. Federal scientists ensure consistent progress on medical advances and drug development, keep our air and water clean, and make sure our workplaces, roadways, food, drugs, and baby products are safe.
For the last few years, I had the privilege to see this amazing federal science enterprise up close. What I saw on the inside was a huge pool of talented people of all walks of life working hard within the federal system to serve the American people. Most would never get public credit for the long hours and hard work they put into their days serving our nation. As writer Jeff Nesbitt recently wrote with respect to the HHS cuts, the nature of public service is such that “it works in silence and disappears at great cost.” Importantly I got to appreciate my colleagues’ dedication to following law and process, their commitment to scientific integrity, and their careful operations that, for decades, have ensured that the U.S. government acted deliberately, and decisions were evidence-based.
Now, the Trump administration is doing everything it can to destroy the U.S. science leadership that other nations have only dreamed of. In the short term, this indiscriminate smashing of agency science infrastructure disrupts the pipeline of the scientific workforce and derails the careers of thousands of federal scientists. In the long term, it threatens the future of scientific progress in the United States. What the hell for?
To all the federal scientists being cast aside by this administration, know that you didn’t deserve this. Know that your work is valued, needed, and saves lives. Know that there are people across the country and world thankful for your years of public service to deliver a healthier and safer world for everyone. We will do everything we can to repair the harm of this moment. And I’ll continue to proudly raise a sign and speak up for you, rain or shine.