As the country continues to process the violent attack on the Capitol, and restrictions on voting rights gain strength across state legislatures, we must take account of the role and responsibility that scientists play in securing our freedoms and prosperity. Read more >
Latest Science and Democracy Posts

The Shared Fate of Science and Democracy
April 14, 2021 2:50 PM EDT

Roundup: Signs of Hope for Scientific Integrity and Public Health
April 8, 2021 1:36 PM EDT
The first quarter of 2021 began with a violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and ended with both the Biden administration and Congress having taken important steps to safeguard scientific integrity and speed COVID-19 vaccinations. Read more >

Indigenous and Western Scientists and Knowledge Holders Partnering for the Public Good
April 7, 2021 3:25 PM EDT
We are two conservationists: a First Nations Yukoner and Canadian, and a first generation immigrant-settler with dual Poland-U.S. nationality. Our paths crossed through mutual interest in Indigenous-led stewardship, Two-Eyed Seeing, and holistic approaches like One Health. We are proponents of two-eyed seeing which means, “To see from one eye with the strengths of Indigenous ways of knowing, and to see from the other eye with the strengths of Western ways of knowing, and to use both of these eyes together”. With two-eyed seeing, it becomes easier to see, for example that the health of people, wildlife and our shared environments is so intertwined as to be one (“One Health”).
We think that an exciting paradigm shift is underway that could transform how we engage with governments and other institutions for the public good. Read more >

Fossil Fuels and Public Lands: How the US Interior Department Can Act on Climate Right Now
April 6, 2021 12:32 PM EDT
Here are the specific near-term actions that the Interior Department can take at the leasing, permitting, and production stages of fossil fuel development on public lands to help address the climate crisis, unify the agency behind a common purpose, and ensure the agency is acting in the public interest during the transition away from yesterday’s energy sources. Read more >

Questions about COVID-19 Vaccines? You’ve Come to the Right Place
April 6, 2021 10:21 AM EDT
As I conducted research for and wrote a COVID-19 vaccine FAQ, I learned some truly fascinating bits of information about the science behind the vaccines. Here are just three pieces of information that I found particularly interesting. Read more >