Hundreds of scientists speak out to defend science and honor Dr. Barbara McClintock

In a powerful show of unity and civic engagement, over 500 scientists across the country are taking to their local newspapers the week of June 16 to champion the value of publicly funded research and push back against growing threats to federal science funding. The McClintock Letters campaign, led by the Scientist Network for Advancing Policy (SNAP) and its partners, will feature op-eds written by researchers in their hometown newspapers across all 50 states.

In a time of increasing turmoil across the American scientific landscape, this nationwide initiative calls attention to the real-world benefits of scientific research and the critical need to protect its future. Scientists are using their voices not just to share their work but to build public trust; their submissions highlight the local impacts of research on health, the economy, and everyday life, while celebrating the community influences shaping scientists' journeys.

SNAP's initiative aims to foster direct engagement between researchers and the public. By writing directly to their communities, scientists hope to show that they are not distant experts, but neighbors, mentors, and public servants committed to the well-being of their communities. Their letters also show how federal funding provides critical support to innovative research across the United States. Scientists writing for this initiative are working in fields ranging from clinical neuroscience to fungal biopesticides to space exploration, funded by the NIH, USDA, and NASA, respectively.

In addition to local submissions, the campaign includes an open letter signed by early-career scientists across the country, which amplifies the message of unity and the urgent need to protect research funding.

The June 16th publication date for the op-eds and open letter is timed to coincide with the birthday of Dr. Barbara McClintock, the first American woman to earn a solo Nobel Prize in the sciences. Dr. McClintock's revolutionary discoveries transformed our understanding of genetics, laying the groundwork for improved crop yields, personalized anti-cancer therapies, and much more. Additionally, her input played an important role in the creation of the National Science Foundation.

In forming SNAP around this project, young professionals in the sciences seek to safeguard the nation's scientific enterprise and build a lasting culture of open communication between researchers and the communities that support them.

Please view published press coverage and submissions here.

Provided by Cornell University