The crowds of Louisiana scientists gathered in the state capital on Friday to protest the Trump administration’s proposed research funds.
The gathering of more than 100 professors, students and other researchers was part of the “Stand for Science” across the country, scientists from all over the country were leaving their labs in defense of their profession.
In his first weeks, President Donald Trump and his administration have taken drastic measures to fund science. The White House has withheld funds for many scientific projects, which believes it is related to diversity, equity and involvement, and propose to reduce resources for financial support research by national health institutions.
“[The administration is] Ravi Rao, a professor of LSU Physics over 50 years, said in an interview, “and therefore it is extraordinarily harmful, and therefore it is extraordinary, and therefore it is extraordinarily harmful.
The group, some of them were hidden in the long white lab coat, as “science makes America great,” as slogans, “science is eliminating the future” and “discredit American science wins China.” He also sang slogans like “science, no future”.
They protested with a warning: Any loss of financial support for US research will have devastating effects for the United States and local economies across the country.
Although the Trump administration’s federal funding decline is on the midst of a widespread ongoing litigation, universities are preparing for a widespread reduction in government research dollars. LSU can lose $ 12 million If the administration’s recommended deduction is Indirect costs for national institutions of health grant If other agencies follow it, then if other agencies follow it, it is allowed to put into practice.
Any major loss in federal research funding will eventually affect the economy, as research affects every dollar spent by universities. Found a report The economic impact of each dollar spent on NIH financing research has $ 46 2.46.
Louisiana universities have NIH’s active grant, costing about $ 300 million, which has an economic impact in a state of more than half a billion dollars. Millions of more grants went to hospitals and other organizations in the state.
The loss of federal grants also pipes the pipeline, which teaches graduate students to work in academia and private industry. Many graduate students, who seek master degrees and PhDs, have their salaries and tuition, as well as a federal grant, as well as research on their degree.
“By threatening sources of research funds, we are damaging our economy, and we are restricting our own workforce,” said Sam Bentley, a geology professor of LSU. “Most people can agree with the political turning point, that it is really important to have sensible economic growth and a highly trained, successful manpower.”
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Brendon Shakt, a professor of geophysics at the LSU, has warned that the loss of manpower development can affect the oil and gas industry in Louisiana, one of the state’s heritage industries.
Shokh said that offshore drilling involves complex technology, and its department needs highly trained scientists like educated people to kill 11 rig workers to prevent a deep water horizon.
The 2010 crash from the coast of Louisiana was spreading the largest marine oil in global history, which released about 134 million gallons of raw in the Gulf of Mexico.
The suspicion said, “We learned a lot from scientifically why this happened and how we can stop it.” “So we need science to do these things. And I think that if we do not have a stable pipeline of scientists in Louisiana, the state will suffer.
Students at the rally have expressed concern that their future is becoming a heat in the heat of Trump.
Colin Hoz, a biological science PhD. The student said that the renting universities have implemented the uncertainty in federal funding, which has led to the fear of how they will provide their 7 -year -old daughter.
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“I am going to fight against many people in a country in a country who has shown a complete lack of respect or respect for the dignity of scientists,” Huiz said.
He added, “It seems that I am floating up against the current, and they just removed the river.”
Although critics have argued that federal funding should not go into scientific research, which does not have direct applications, scientists have submitted on the steps that everyone agreed that there was no implementation without basic science.
LSU geology professor Jonathan Sno said in an interview at the rally, now it is important to invest in this research. Although the value of basic scientific research may not be easily revealed to the public, scientists agree that this research is essential for life -saving discoveries and other scientific advancements.
“Basic science basically won World War II,” said Snow. “Basic science innovated from radar to atomic bombs of all kinds of warfare technologies.”
He added, “None of them were trading products before the war … they were all manufactured from the Education Scientific Enterprise.”
Beyond the economic influence, protesters raised concerns about how the attacks on academia affect the fabric of American society.
Professor Rao of Physics said that universities have played a key role in protecting the knowledge necessary for the existence of Western civilization.
Rao said that without the protection and spread of research and knowledge, society cannot develop and can struggle to survive.
“They are definitely jeopardizing our society,” he said of the Trump administration. “They are certainly jeopardizing our country and its stature in society.”
