STAND UP FOR SCIENCE rally @ UCSD.

Compelling talks about impact of reductions in science funding, industry. My talk focused on why we need to support for scientific diversity, and science as a public good!

Photo courtesy of John Trawick!

What does Trump’s call for ‘gold standard science’ really mean? Critics worry new executive order allows political appointees to determine how science is used in policy decisions

Killing the golden goose with bogus "Gold Standards" that promote nonsc(i)ense!

www.science.org/content/arti...

For more information see: actionnetwork.org/events/stand...

If you are in the San Diego region, please join us at UCSD on June 6 to advocate for federal funding for scientific research, highlighting the impact on students, the economy, and the health of our nation.

In addition to Davis Asai’s “hot off the press” perspective, you might enjoy reading his editorial for JMBE a couple of years ago <https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.v21i1.2071>

Check out this insightful, timely, and deeply personal perceptive on the value of inclusive science by David Asai. Over many years while leading programs at HHMI David had an impressive impact on higher education.

issues.org/wp-content/u...

China Research Spending Outstrips U.S. Despite Faltering Economy Tariffs and further economic barriers only likely to drive spending on science and technology higher, analysts predict, amid hopes innovation can kick-start recovery.

China Research Spending Outstrips U.S. Despite Faltering Economy
By Helen Packer, Inside Higher Ed 4/17/25

Increasing investment in research during an economic downturn to stoke the economy
www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...

Free! Register @ asm.org/Webinars/JMB...

"Health and Economic Benefits of Routine Childhood Immunizations in the Era of the Vaccines for Children Program — United States, 1994–2023." Prevented over 30M hospitalizations, saving society $2.7 trillion. Source: Medscape/MMWR 2025 CE Program by Zhou et al.

Trump Science Funding Cuts May Hurt Economy, Experts Say Since World War II, U.S. research funding has led to discoveries that fueled economic gains. Now cutbacks are seen as putting that legacy in jeopardy.

Killing the goose that lays golden eggs

www.nytimes.com/2025/03/31/b...

“Bluesky has won”.

Please retweet… 😉

Why RFK Jr.’s pick for a vaccine-autism review may be familiar to Retraction Watch readers David Geier and his father Mark speak to Fox News in 2022. When it comes to conversations about vaccines and autism, we always have plenty to write about. And the latest news that the Trump adminis…

Lysenkoism redux! Robert Kennedy's selection of highly biased non-scientist to lead a new study on the (thoroughly debunked) concept that vaccines could lead to autism. retractionwatch.com/2025/03/27/d...

This letter to Nature emphasizes how drastic reductions in federal funding for science and education could shift the U.S. role as a world leader in innovation, advanced technologies, and health with the subsequent loss of the robust economic benefits of new discoveries and international influence.

of scientific research and the creativity benefits of diverse teams may make us feel like we are "responding", but it won't shift the railroad tracks!!

of the FOX "news" and "unTruth Social” machines, we will never be able to build sufficient consensus to thwart the anti-intellectualism of the Trump dictatorship! Sending compelling social media messages to other like-minded liberals that make points about the public-health and economic importance!

Just had dinner at a hotel in NC, sitting in front of TVs tuned to FOX news. I sat there getting more and more depressed by the commentaries. It became clear that no matter how much noise academics and researchers make, if we don’t find a way to break through the unrelenting propaganda ...

Michele’s art brightens up my living room and and study, and continually reminds me of the beauty and art underlying science!

A call for the United States to continue investing in science | mBio The U.S. life science research mission is critical not only to human health and understanding the natural world but also to agriculture and food production, technological innovations, socioeconomic progress, and our national defense and leadership worldwide. A 2025 Research!America survey reveals that 92% of Americans want government to actively work to promote medical progress, in part by funding infectious and chronic disease research. Why? Because biomedical research saves lives, prevents suffering, and increases quality of life for not only Americans but for people throughout the world. While less well appreciated, science also drives enormous economic growth. Indeed, historically there has been widespread bipartisan support for biomedical funding by the federal government. Below we discuss the U.S. scientific research enterprise and provide evidence and arguments we hope the ASM community can use to advocate for science.

Why the U.S. should continue investing in science.
journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/...

If you do bacterial / phage genetics this is a great book to get for the lab ... an amazing collection of useful methods with thorough explanations about rationale and trouble-shooting.
cshlpress.com/default.tpl?...

If you teach microbiology, register now:
asm.org/Webinars/JMB...

If we don’t keep up with “flu” vaccines, this may be the kind of public health advice we will have to rely upon …

Yes, but you'll need to check with the current instructors for details. I'm very sad to miss it, but will be speaking/etc at the ASM Microbe meeting at the same time.

Want to learn more about genetic tools for studying bacteria and phage, check out the summer ABG Course at CSHL. This will be the 80th anniversary of the original CSHL Phage course, so you'll also meet many additional visiting genetics gurus! <https://meetings.cshl.edu/courses.aspx?course=C-ABG>

Check out Ira Flatow's Science Friday podcast on "Why Editors At Scientific Journals Are Resigning En Masse". Thought provoking insights into the scientific publishing enterprise. <www.sciencefriday.com/segments/scientific-jour...>

Can Academic Fraud Be Stopped? (Update) - Freakonomics Can Academic Fraud Be Stopped? (Update) - Freakonomics

If you care about academic honesty and research integrity, check out this two-part series on the #Freaknomics podcast -- engaging, insightful, and thought-provoking.

freakonomics.com/podcast/why-...
and
freakonomics.com/podcast/can-...

Excited for the upcoming SABER West conference this weekend. If you’re there drop by the JMBE table and say hi!

Self plagiarism

Great podcast! Insights into why some researchers cheat , and why it is so hard to stop.

Another amazing SDSU cohort of the Desert and Pacific Hub NSF I-Corps. Intensive training in lean startup and customer discovery by the teams over the last month focused on commercialization of university research discoveries — from theory to research to public impact! Innovation with Integrity.

Dr. Doris Howell and many of her friends and colleagues proudly wore this button to make the point ...