February 2025 Member Update

FEBRUARY 2025

SPOTLIGHTS | NEWS & UPDATES | MEMBER COMMUNITY | OPPORTUNITIES | EVENTS

Dear Member,

The ongoing developments here in Washington — and the ramifications to the scientific community as well as on the global stage — are at the top of our agenda at AAAS. While we work to ensure that disruptions to research and innovation are minimized, our long-term priority remains unchanged: To protect and strengthen the scientific enterprise so that we may continue to advance science and serve society. We are actively building on the legacy of the generations of AAAS leaders and members who have spoken up for science before us. I want to reiterate that you are not alone, and we are committed to continuing that essential work together.

In case you missed them, I want to share some of the ways we are speaking up for science and the scientific community:

Last Wednesday, I testified before the U.S. House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology on the state of U.S. science and technology. I testified that while extraordinary science is happening every day, what got us to this point will no longer work to ensure we have a strong and resilient STEMM enterprise that can lead globally. I reinforced the importance of leading with humanity and respecting everyone who contributes to our STEMM enterprise, and that recent actions have hurt the ecosystem and caused great uncertainty and anxiety. Not all disruptions and changes to a system are equal, and we should not dismantle the very strengths that keep us competitive globally. Watch my 5-minute testimony:

Additionally, we are participating in media interviews, posting perspectives and updates on social media, publishing editorials, and covering key developments through our news team. For example:

The Washington Post covered my comments on the impacts of uncertainty and disruptions.
Science Editor-in-Chief Holden Thorp is posting regularly on Substack, including sharing a post on why it makes sense to be anxious.
I am posting on LinkedIn with my perspectives over the past two weeks (January 29 and February 6).
Science is publishing editorials on topics such as the United States withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement and World Health Organization and a piece from AAAS Immediate Past President Willie E. May on the importance of keeping our eye on the ball.
News from Science reporters Jeffrey Mervis, David Malakoff, and Jocelyn Kaiser, among others, are covering science policy developments almost daily. Follow along to stay up to date.

We’re closely coordinating awareness-building and advocacy with peer organizations. The response from higher-education organizations regarding the National Institutes of Health’s directive to cap indirect costs to federal research, which would negatively impact research and patient outcomes, is just one example. Speaking up effectively on behalf of science and technology requires that all voices are strategically coordinated with a long-range view.

While we focus on navigating the current landscape, we’re also preparing a proactive vision about what it will take for the United States to compete globally. During the hearing, I shared that our nation needs a new framework to dramatically strengthen a globally competitive science and technology ecosystem — well into the future. AAAS Annual Meeting attendees will hear more about the Vision for American Science & Technology (VAST) during the plenary session on Friday, February 14 when I am joined by Task Force members France Córdova, Kelvin Droegemeier and Marcia McNutt. Even if you aren’t joining us in Boston, you can view the plenary session live on the AAAS Annual Meeting YouTube channel.

Some of you have asked what you can do. Our current advice: Contact your federal relations representatives at your institutions and members of Congress representing your state and district to share personal stories and impacts on you and your communities. It is important that policymakers hear firsthand from their constituents and institutions about how these disruptions and uncertainty are collectively hurting the scientific community and damaging American competitiveness.

We’re looking forward to spending quality time with our members attending the AAAS Annual Meeting starting this Thursday, February 13. And to those of you we won’t see in Boston, we want to hear from you. Join your Sections on the AAAS Community platform to talk with peers in your disciplines and share your stories of impact. Community is key as we navigate this landscape together, and I deeply value ours.

Sudip S. Parikh, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer, AAAS
Executive Publisher, Science Journals

P.S. If you know someone who might appreciate being reminded about the power of research and innovation, tell them that supersonic travel may not be so far in the future as they might think!

AAAS CEO Parikh testifies on state of U.S. S&T ecosystem

Read key quotes from AAAS CEO Sudip Parikh’s testimony before the U.S. House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. He highlighted that the nation needs to take steps to ensure a strong and competitive STEMM enterprise. He noted that recent actions have hurt the scientific enterprise, and he reinforced the importance of leading with humanity.

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50 years of the AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellowship

The AAAS Mass Media Science & Engineering Fellowship has trained early-career scientists to translate complex research into compelling stories for the public. With nearly 900 alumni in newsrooms, policy, and media, the program continues to evolve, equipping fellows with the skills to engage audiences across ever-changing platforms.