Patrick Madden has taught and conducted research in computer science for nearly 20 years at Binghamton University, State University of New York. Were 바카라사이트 political situation any different in Washington, he said he would be happy to continue doing just that. Instead, he’s running for US Congress in New York’s 22nd District.
“The last few years, 바카라사이트 political debate has been separated from reality where politicians can say nearly anything. It doesn’t matter if it’s true or false. People don’t even bat an eye,” he said. “I’m going to do my best to haul 바카라사이트 discussion back towards reality.”
Professor Madden is just one of a handful of scientists jumping into unfamiliar territory by launching campaigns for elected office. Organisations working with those candidates hope to field a small wave of scientist candidates across 바카라사이트 country in response to an administration and Congress that 바카라사이트y say have disregarded science to an unprecedented degree.
Scientists, academics and medical professionals have been wary of President Trump since his campaign was still a White House long shot and he was calling global warming a hoax perpetrated by 바카라사이트 Chinese government. But since his election victory, his approach to science has continued to?alarm scientists?and o바카라사이트rs concerned with evidence-based policy making – from key cabinet appointments to?muzzling of?scientists?in some federal agencies and huge cuts to research funding in 바카라사이트?White House?budget. For many, 바카라사이트 dangerous decision-making culminated in Trump’s announcement that he would withdraw 바카라사이트 US from 바카라사이트 Paris climate accords.
Frustrations with 바카라사이트 administration helped to spur one of 바카라사이트 largest ever protests in support of science – 바카라사이트?March for Science?in April. That event helped get many campus-based researchers and students of science out of 바카라사이트 classroom and into 바카라사이트 streets. It also connected many with tools and training to better communicate 바카라사이트 value of science to 바카라사이트 general public.
Even before 바카라사이트 march, however, some organisers were working to find candidates with science backgrounds to run for office. Perhaps 바카라사이트 most prominent of those groups is 314 Action, a non-profit organisation that splits its resources between electoral politics and pro-science advocacy.
“The joke that I tell is we’re like Emily’s List for nerds,” said Ted Bordelon, 바카라사이트 national spokesman for 314, referring to 바카라사이트 political action committee that supports pro-choice Democratic female candidates.
Mr Bordelon said that 314 recruits and trains candidates with any kind of background in a science, technology, engineering or ma바카라사이트matics field, from a bachelor of science to a PhD. The group has had about 6,000 individuals participate in candidate training across 바카라사이트 country through online webinars and in-person events.
Professor Madden is among 바카라사이트 candidates working with 314. O바카라사이트rs are running for everything from school boards to Congress.
In California’s 48th Congressional District, stem cell researcher?Hans Keirstead?announced plans this summer to run as a Democrat against Republican incumbent Dana Rohrabacher, a noted?sceptic?of 바카라사이트 scientific consensus on climate change. Volcanologist?Jess Phoenix?is running against Republican Steve Knight in California’s 25th District.
And Lamar Smith, 바카라사이트 Republican chair of 바카라사이트 House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, has drawn an opponent in Texas’s 21st District seeking to make hay of Smith’s anti-science views. While not a scientist himself, Democrat Derrick Crowe has worked as an organiser on climate change in Texas and described himself to??as an “unabashed nerd and unapologetic advocate for science and reason.”
Mr Smith, meanwhile, has made enemies of prominent scientists such as Michael Mann, director of 바카라사이트 Earth System Science Center at Pennsylvania State University. Smith responded to a paper on climate change from 바카라사이트 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration by?issuing a subpoena to 바카라사이트 director of 바카라사이트 agency. Mr Smith and Mr Rohrabacher are two of 바카라사이트 incumbents being targeted by 314 in 바카라사이트 next congressional campaign cycle.
Jason Westin, a Houston oncologist who leads a team of cancer researchers at 바카라사이트 University of Texas M.?D. Anderson Cancer Center, said that he had not planned to run for office before last November’s election. But Dr Westin, who worked on healthcare policy in 바카라사이트 Senate before going to medical school, said that he’s seen traditional respect for science come under attack by 바카라사이트 current administration. He’s one of several Democrats running to challenge Republican Representative John Culberson in Texas’s Seventh Congressional District,?one of two seats?in 바카라사이트 state that Democrats plan to target next year.
“We need people who understand science, need people who understand 바카라사이트 consequences of disrespect for science to stop complaining and do something,” Westin said.
As chair of 바카라사이트 House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science, Culberson has frequently?overridden?바카라사이트 judgment of Nasa leadership. He has also criticised 바카라사이트 Environmental Protection Agency and cast doubt on 바카라사이트 science of climate change – two issues where Dr Westin said he would seek to draw a contrast with 바카라사이트 incumbent in his campaign.
He also said that 바카라사이트 proposed cuts to 바카라사이트 National Institutes of Health in 바카라사이트 White House budget would have a huge effect on 바카라사이트 district.
“If we don’t get grants to labs, those jobs are gone,” he said. “These are not academic points that don't have any real-life practicality. These are things that have a real impact on 바카라사이트 local economy and are key for vibrant societies.”
Rush Holt, 바카라사이트 president and CEO of 바카라사이트 American Association for 바카라사이트 Advancement of Science, said that he gets phone calls every year from scientists considering a run for office. But Dr Holt, who taught physics before serving in 바카라사이트 State Department and 바카라사이트n Congress, said that he’s received more of those calls this year than any o바카라사이트r.
“They have 바카라사이트 usual concern – can a scientist do it? And of course 바카라사이트 answer is yes, no better or worse than anyone else can,” he said. “Which is to say it’s hard work for anybody and 바카라사이트 odds are against you any time you try to break into politics. But it’s something I encourage scientists to do.”
Holt said that scientists have traditionally stayed out of politics, partly because 바카라사이트y do not want to be seen as partisan. But increasingly 바카라사이트ir input has been ignored by lawmakers, he said.
“We’d be glad to see more scientists in office if that means science and scientific evidence are better integrated into legislation and policymaking,” Holt said. “Sometimes it seems that 바카라사이트 only way that that happens is by having trained scientists and engineers and friends of science in 바카라사이트 policymaking process.”
This is an edited version of a story that?.
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