A few weeks ago, my colleague chronicled a milestone for our organization and the country: We had just recorded the federal government’s 150th attack on science, carried out by the officials and agencies tasked with defending science. Today, we mark another milestone: The release of our recommendations, for 2021 and beyond, to undo the damage from these attacks and bolster protections for government science.

Five Things We’ve Learned from Surveys of Government Scientists
March 6, 2018 4:42 PM EDT
This month the Union of Concerned Scientists is surveying government scientists—about 63,000 of them from 16 federal agencies, to be exact. Since these scientists get emails from me requesting their time and perspectives, I want to discuss the value of the scientific integrity surveys we’ve been conducting here for many years. Since 2005, thousands of scientists have responded to UCS surveys and that information has led to concrete changes at federal agencies. Here’s a sampling of what we’ve gained from surveying government scientists. Read more >
No Shutdown For Now, But What Effect Does Budget Uncertainty Have On Government Scientists?
October 6, 2015 1:51 PM EDT
Two years ago this week, Washington, DC was a ghost town. With federal employees furloughed and millions of workdays disrupted, the streets were eerily quiet and Americans were deprived of the Panda Cam. But there were bigger consequences. Read more >
Survey Says: New Report Shows Scientific Integrity at Federal Agencies Needs Improvement
October 1, 2015 10:20 AM EDT
Do you feel like your scientific work is too politicized? If you are a scientist working for the federal government, the answer might be yes. Thousands of scientists report that political considerations are given too much weight at their federal agency. Read more >
Communicating Science: Barriers Journalists Face at Government Agencies
August 4, 2015 12:55 PM EDT
Transparency invigorates a strong democracy. It inspires trust and spurs citizens to hold their leaders accountable. As citizens, we have the right to know about the scientific information shaping the policies that affect our health, our safety, and the environment, and our government has a responsibility to share this information openly. Read more >