Marching for Science on April 22

A honey bee, dusted with blue pollen, forages on a bird's eye, Gilia tricolor. We tower above her for a bird's eye view. It is April 19, 2010 in a field near the central UC Davis campus.  All is not right in the bee world, no thanks to pests, pesticides, parasites, diseases, malnutrition,  stress and a puzzling phenomenon known as colony collapse disorder.

All is still not right in the bee world. And all is not right with science. Its future is troubling.

That's why it's so important to "March for Science" on Saturday, April 22.  All eyes are focused on the national March for Science in Washington, D.C., and the satellite marches in solidarity.

We're glad to see that the 7000-member Entomological Society of America (ESA), a non-partisan scientific society founded in 1889, is taking an active role by naming its members "point persons" for the various marches.

At the Sacramento March for Science,  UC Extension entomologist emerita Mary Lou Flint of the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, is ESA's point person.  “It is a really important time to be supporting science and scientists in the United States," she said. "This march is nonpartisan and fully sponsored by the ESA.” 

In Sacramento, participants will gather at 10 a.m. at Southside Park, 2115 6th St. for a pre-march program. At noon they will begin marching to the Capitol Mall, 1315 10th St. The post-march program will take place there from 1 to 4 p.m.

Flint, a UC Davis graduate who holds a doctorate in entomology from UC Berkeley, retired in June 2014 as an Extension entomologist and as a leader in the UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management (UC IPM) Program: she served as the associate director for Urban and Community IPM. 

On April 22, she will be there with other scientists, out of their labs, and into the streets. And joining thousands of others, all marching for science.

Said ESA President Susan Weller, an entomology professor at the University of Minnesota and director of the Bell Museum of Natural History: “We have an obligation to promote the responsible conduct of science and speak out against any proposed interference with the free exchange of scientific knowledge. I encourage ESA members to support this celebration of science."

The guiding principles of ESA "recognize that the discipline of entomology is global, that all of its members must be able to participate fully in the organization, and that entomologists must collaborate with government and the public to maximize the positive benefits insect science offers to the world," said ESA in a press release. "The stated goals and principles of the March for Science align closely with these strategic principles of ESA.”

ESA is the largest organization in the world serving the professional and scientific needs of entomologists and people in related disciplines. Its members are affiliated with educational institutions, health agencies, private industry, and government. Members are researchers, teachers, extension service personnel, administrators, marketing representatives, research technicians, consultants, students, and hobbyists.

ESA has created a web page to share information on how members can participate in the March for Science in Washington, D.C.,  or at satellite events around the nation and the world.  ESA is also planning a pre-March for Science webinar on April 19 at 2 p.m. (EDT). Speakers from ESA, Lewis-Burke Associates, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) will discuss the logistics of the March for Science, best practices for non-partisan advocacy on behalf of science, and advice for productively engaging with the media during and after the March.

In addition, ESA members and others can use an ESA template to print their own "Why I March for Science" sign. They are encouraged to take a selfie with it, and send it to pubs@entsoc.org.  "Why I March" pictures will be shared on social media in the days leading up to the event.

The March for Science is not only intended to raise awareness, but to celebrate science and to support and safeguard the scientific community. The goals include advocating for open, inclusive, and accessible science, affirming scientific research as an essential part of a working democracy and, in general, supporting scientists.

As the Sacramento March for Science web page points out: "Recent policy changes have called science-based information into question. Science is not a partisan issue. Science is fact-based and provides objective results. It is time for people who support scientific research and evidence-based policies to take a public stand and be counted!"

 "We come from all walks of life. We are of different races, religions, gender identities, sexual orientations, abilities, socioeconomic backgrounds, political perspectives, and nationalities - and we are united through our respect for science and our belief that it is crucial to the health and success of our society and our planet. Our diverse opinions, perspectives, and ideas are critical to the scientific process and are our greatest strength."

If you live in the Sacramento area, check out these related links, and then join the march to the state capitol:

Website: http://www.marchforsciencesacramento.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marchforsciencesac/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SacScienceMarch
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marchforsciencesacramento