Appalled by Trump actions

I am appalled by what is happening in the US since Trump, Pence and the Republican Party are in charge. I believe that women should have access to safe abortions and birth control. I believe everyone has the right to affordable medical insurance. I believe refugees should be welcomed in this country. (Soon, we may need other countries to welcome refugees from the United States!) I believe scientists who work for the government should be free to speak their minds and share their findings with the world. I believe no one should be banned from this country based on their religion. I belief that Black Lives Matter.

I will do everything I can to provide a safe space in my classrooms and my lab for everyone, regardless of their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, immigration status or physical abilities.

In defense of science

I (Pleuni Pennings) endorse the following, which was drafted by Graham Coop (UC Davis), Michael Eisen (UC Berkeley) and Molly Przeworski (Columbia):

We are deeply concerned by the Trump administration’s move to gag scientists working at various governmental agencies. The US government employs scientists working on medicine, public health, agriculture, energy, space, clean water and air, weather, the climate and many other important areas. Their job is to produce data to inform decisions by policymakers, businesses and individuals. We are all best served by allowing these scientists to discuss their findings openly and without the intrusion of politics. Any attack on their ability to do so is an attack on our ability to make informed decisions as individuals, as communities and as a nation.

If you are a government scientist who is blocked from discussing their work, we will share it on your behalf, publicly or with the appropriate recipients. You can email us at USScienceFacts@gmail.com.

If you use this email address, here is a PGP public key for PGP encryption: http://pgp.mit.edu/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x52C7139DE0A3D350

More women at French mathematical biology conference this year (200% increase)

Two years ago, I was annoyed about a conference (Mathematical and Computation Evolutionary Biology Meeting) on an island near Marseille that had never had more than one female invited speaker.

This year, I noticed that the number of women at the conference has gone up from 1 (in the past) to 3 this year! That is an increase of 200%, and they now have >40% women among invited speakers (3 of 7). 

Progress! 

Here are links to the women’s websites.

Anna-Sapfo Malaspinas

 

Barbara Holland

Elizabeth Allman