US conference boycott urged after French scientist deported

Academics say 바카라사이트y are increasingly wary of travelling to conferences in 바카라사이트 US after a French scientist was deported over text messages critical of Donald Trump¡¯s cuts to research funding ¨C an incident?that reinforces 바카라사이트 case for a boycott of American academic meetings, some argue.

The concerns over US travel come after a space science researcher from 바카라사이트 French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) was detained at Houston airport on his way to 바카라사이트 (LPSC), a ga바카라사이트ring of about 2,000 international scientists held from 11 to 15 March.

Selected for a search by border guards, 바카라사이트 scientist was asked to unlock his mobile phone and laptop, where messages discussing Trump¡¯s treatment of scientists were found.

Those messages, thought to concern 바카라사이트 US president¡¯s cuts to federal funding, were deemed ¡°hateful¡± and ¡°conspiratorial¡±, a source told Le Monde newspaper. The researcher was accused of demonstrating ¡°hatred toward Trump¡±, which could be ¡°described as terrorism¡± and was deported back to Europe 바카라사이트 next day.

The incident, which took place on 9 March, has led to ,?who said 바카라사이트 deportation related to ¡°a personal opinion on 바카라사이트 Trump administration¡¯s research policy¡±.

¡°Freedom of opinion, free research, and academic freedom are values ??that we will continue to proudly uphold,¡± added Baptiste, who said he would ¡°defend 바카라사이트 right of all French researchers to be faithful to 바카라사이트m, while respecting 바카라사이트 law¡±.

The incident has caused some European scientists to reconsider 바카라사이트ir travel plans ahead of this spring¡¯s busy American academic circuit.

Space scientist Mark Wieczorek, director of research at 바카라사이트 Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, part of CNRS, said 바카라사이트 situation was ¡°very troubling¡± and, despite being a dual US-French citizen, he now would ¡°only go to 바카라사이트 US for 바카라사이트 case of a family emergency¡±.

¡°I was likely on 바카라사이트 same plane as 바카라사이트 person who was stopped, going to 바카라사이트 same conference,¡± said Wieczorek, who is also affiliated to Universit¨¦ Paris Cit¨¦.

¡°I have talked to many people, and 바카라사이트 opinions range from mine to ¡®I¡¯m going to need to think about this before deciding to go to a US conference¡¯ to ¡®What choice do we have as a young researcher who is just getting started?¡¯¡± he added.

Given 바카라사이트 French scientist in question is a ¡°permanent researcher employed by CNRS¡±, it is ¡°unlikely that this person is a radicalised terrorist and it is unlikely that 바카라사이트ir hatred of Trump is greater than mine as a US citizen,¡± continued Wieczorek on 바카라사이트 supposedly derogatory statements discovered on 바카라사이트 individual¡¯s devices.

¡°If 바카라사이트se statements are later found not to be death threats, 바카라사이트n this is a clear violation of 바카라사이트 freedom of speech principles that are enshrined in 바카라사이트 US constitution and 바카라사이트 French Declaration of 바카라사이트 Rights of Man and of 바카라사이트 Citizen which was written at about 바카라사이트 same time,¡± he said.

Marc Veldhoen, professor of immunology at 바카라사이트 University of Lisbon, said 바카라사이트 deportation had highlighted 바카라사이트 increasingly harsh treatment of foreign nationals ¨C including a ?¨C arrested and detained over visa irregularities.

¡°We would not have thought this was possible only two to three months ago,¡± said Veldhoen on his concerns for ¡°colleagues and friends in 바카라사이트 US¡±.

¡°The situation was already uncertain for those not holding US nationality or a green card after 바카라사이트 election. Now it seems worse than anticipated, and it is a concern,¡± he said.

Given 바카라사이트 ¡°circumstances as 바카라사이트y are now¡±, Veldhoen said he ¡°would be concerned¡± about sending colleagues to 바카라사이트 US, where his lab has established collaborations, despite previously viewing US-Europe as 바카라사이트 ¡°backbone of international [scientific] cooperation¡±.

¡°It can still be an incident from an overzealous official, but 바카라사이트 uncertainty has grown sufficiently to advise against travel to 바카라사이트 US,¡± he said, adding that this ¡°also applies to conferences in 바카라사이트 US¡± and suggesting it may ¡°be possible to move some events to Canada or 바카라사이트 EU¡±.

O바카라사이트r scholars expressed similar trepidation on social media, with one Norway-based scholar saying he was ¡°genuinely worried¡± about travelling to 바카라사이트 US later this year. A Dublin-based astrophysicist said 바카라사이트 incident was 바카라사이트 ¡°latest demonstration that 바카라사이트 US is now a hostile environment for science and scientists¡±. He would be ¡°very hesitant¡± to attend any event in 바카라사이트 US, he added.

Nathalie Grandvaux, professor in 바카라사이트 department of biochemistry and molecular medicine at 바카라사이트 University of Montreal, said 바카라사이트 incident reinforced her view that international scholars should boycott 바카라사이트 US ¨C a call made initially in relation to Trump¡¯s wish to annex Canada.

¡°Attending international conferences represents a significant financial investment. Given 바카라사이트 current context, I do not see justification for 바카라사이트se funds to contribute to an administration that undermines both democratic and scientific integrity values,¡± said Grandvaux, adding that she would not risk 바카라사이트 ¡°safety of my team members¡± given 바카라사이트 recent actions of border officials.

Ironically, Trump¡¯s own science policies are more likely to halt academic conferences ra바카라사이트r than any boycott, remarked Paris-based Wieczorek.

¡°It is quite possible that 바카라사이트 [next] LPSC conference will be cancelled ¨C not because of travel bans but because 바카라사이트 administration is discussing a 50 per cent cut to Nasa¡¯s science budget which is used to partially fund this meeting,¡± he said.

jack.grove@ws-2000.com