David Meyer

Across the United States, researchers are navigating uncomfortable territory. Repeated threats to research funding and the mass firings of federal workers have pushed some scientists to take on unfamiliar roles as activists, speaking at rallies, calling legislators and forming new pressure groups. “Historically, scientists have done a really bad job of advocating for their own activities,” says David Meyer, a sociologist at the University of California, Irvine. “So this is a new challenge.” … “If you get some people to take off their lab coats for an afternoon and go out to stand up for science, that’s a positive step.”

For the full story, please visit https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00661-8.