This Saturday millions of people around the world will come together to be part of the March for Science. Devised in the US in response to the new President's policies towards climate change and cuts to science funding, the movement quickly spread to over 500 cities around the world. Here in the UK There will be five marches around the country in Bristol, Manchester, Edinburgh, Cardiff with the largest taking place in London.
The marches are the result of overwhelming public demand for a chance to stand up for science. The London March has been funded entirely by hundreds of individual donations from the public via our GoFundMe page. In fact, at the heart of the organising team has been a small group of women, all squeezing this in around our day jobs.
So why are we bothering? Well, what may surprise you about our team is that only one of us is a scientist. Instead, we are curious enthusiasts, who all want to know more about how our world works and are fortunate enough to live in an age where science has developed enough to give us some of those answers. The march is bringing together scientists, science fans, people who care about climate change, medical research, education and diversity with those of us who are just a bit curious and want to find out more.
London has long been a global centre for the advancement of scientific thinking, so it's fitting that part of this international movement that recognises productive and diverse research partnerships around the world, is taking place here . We understand that the most effective way to protect science is to encourage the public to value and engage with it.
Equally never has it been a more important for science to stand up and be heard. At a time when fake news is rife and independent experts face challenges in getting their message heard, the aim of the March for Science is to celebrate the vital role that science plays in everyone's lives and to respect and encourage research that gives us insight into the world. We want to champion science and the cross-border collaborations that are vital for progress.
A General Election gives scientists in the UK a real opportunity to make their voices heard. We want to see all parties making a commitment to promote our scientific industries, protect science funding and ensure that scientists from the UK and round the world are able to work on important projects. Only by collaborating and breaking down barriers, will we be able to tackle some of the most challenging problems that we face globally today.