This week has been another tough one for the science and engineering community. Whatever the impacts have been on you, know that we at AAAS stand with you, and that we are redoubling our efforts at every turn to speak up for our members, our community, and the best possible outcomes for science and the world.  

In fact, your input can strengthen our voice. You can help us underscore the impacts of federal actions at the local level by weighing in via our Member Survey: Assessing the Impacts of Federal Policies on the U.S. STEMM Community. And if you have recently lost a job and continuing your AAAS membership is a concern, please contact Member Central Support at 1-866-434-AAAS (2227) toll free or membership@aaas.org to discuss options with us.

I’ve just returned from a visit to the University of Kansas where I met a vibrant community of AAAS Honorary Fellows, Members, KU students, faculty and staff, and had the opportunity to hear about what is keeping them up at night. We also talked about the near-term work that AAAS is leading to address these concerns, as well as the Vision for American Science & Technology (VAST), which is a long-term proactive game plan. Most importantly, I was immersed in the promise of the discovery and innovation that we are working so hard to safeguard as I learned more about the amazing efforts underway at KU and the University of Kansas Medical Center.  

If you haven’t already, you can learn about VAST by watching the webinar we held on March 19. I and other members of the VAST Task Force held a frank and action-oriented discussion about what we need to do as a nation and individually to defend and bolster a STEMM ecosystem that will drive competitiveness, empower the workforce, and avoid counterproductive outcomes—such as unstable federal funding—that impede scientific progress. 

Another important way we are making our voice heard is through sustained national, local and global press coverage. Since January, AAAS leaders and I have been quoted in more than 90 stories on the federal landscape. In the last few weeks, Science Editor-in-Chief Holden Thorp was quoted in major media outlets on the impacts the Trump administration’s cuts will have on science. The New York Times also published his op-ed about the overwhelming evidence that vaccines don’t cause autism despite CDC’s plans to investigate further. Our Chief Government Relations Officer Joanne Padrón Carney was quoted in a CNN column about the potential long-term impacts of government funding cuts, and I was featured in a radio segment on Kentucky-based NPR affiliate WUKY.  

In closing, I’d like to say congratulations to the new 2024 AAAS Fellows class! At a time when the future of the scientific enterprise in the U.S. and around the world is uncertain, their work embodies scientific excellence and demonstrates the value of sustained investment in science and engineering.