In the weeks since the presidential inauguration, we have seen many of the promises in Project 2025 (a conservative plan to expand presidential power and reshape government) come to fruition, including nothing less than a complete assault on science, technology and education. From funding cuts to government censorship of scientific research to mass terminations of public servants, it is undeniably clear that the anti-science sentiments of the past several decades have finally come to a head. We are five early-career scientists who have been surprised by the lack of organized, collective action since 20 January, but also within science more broadly. Scientists are often told that we should stay in our lane, rather than engage in advocacy work or speak out about issues of public importance. We are organizing Stand Up for Science because that is simply not true. Science affects everyone, and every social issue has a scientific angle. This is every scientist’s lane.

Credit: Emma Courtney.

Science is a public good that benefits all Americans. It reduces the burden of illnesses, drives technological advancements and improves quality of life, which brings concomitant economic benefits. In the 2023 fiscal year, National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding supported over 400,000 jobs and yielded a nearly 150% return in economic activity for every dollar invested. We call on the government to fund scientific research that is critical for the financial stability of millions of individual Americans, as well as the nation itself. We also call on the government to lift recent censorship and restriction of scientists whose work focuses on racial disparities in health outcomes, sexual violence prevention and other recently banned topics. Censorship has no place in a democracy, and advancing knowledge on these subjects is critical to the well-being of all Americans. Investing in scientific inquiry and discovery, of all kinds, has been critical to American progress and prosperity for over 70 years. There is no reason to stall or, worse, undo that progress.

Science is fundamentally a social endeavour, and it always will be. Throughout your training, you might have learned that scientists are supposed to be objective and value-free. But everyone has values, even scientists. Our values influence the kinds of research questions we think are worth systematically investigating and how we respond when science is under attack. The federal government has recently made it clear that it believes certain lines of scientific inquiry to be more legitimate than others, at the expense of the American scientific enterprise as a whole. We would like the entire scientific community to know that attacks on some of us are attacks on all of us. Our collective ability to pursue meaningful research, of any kind, depends on the social and political institutions that support scientific inquiry. To protect the future of discovery, we must actively defend these institutions. Science works for society — and we are working for scientists.

Beyond our concrete policy demands, we want to start a broader conversation about the vital role of science in society. Scientific progress is not just about journal impact factors or headline-grabbing breakthroughs: it is about the countless discoveries that improve lives in ways large and small. We hope to empower scientists to engage with the public and highlight how research drives economic growth, addresses local challenges and provides hope to those in need.

We want to remind everyone that there is strength in community. Scientists are often pressured to only publish our findings in academic journals to be read by our peers alone. It is currently as important as ever to rethink how we communicate and engage with the wider communities that our work is meant to serve. This is our moment to start a larger conversation — not just about our discoveries, but about transforming the way science is shared, understood and valued in society.

We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from scientists around the world and recognize that science is a fundamentally global pursuit. International collaboration has fuelled groundbreaking progress on the most pressing challenges faced by humanity, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to fostering open, cooperative scientific endeavours with our colleagues abroad.

We also acknowledge that these threats to science extend beyond borders, yet many of you lack a clear way to make your voices heard. Know that we are here to advocate for you as well.

Our movement is inspired by the countless scientists before us who navigated complex social and political landscapes to defend and advance scientific discovery. We are not alone in this fight. Just as we exchange knowledge in the laboratory, we must also share strategies for advocating for science. As ever, we stand on the shoulders of giants — and, together, we move forward.