SciLight

EPA Pulls Down Updated Scientific Integrity Policy Erasing over a decade of progress, the EPA move undermines protections for science and puts public health at risk.

The EPA has quietly removed its updated 2025 Scientific Integrity Policy, rolling the agency back to its 2012 policy and erasing more than a decade of lessons learned about how to protect science from political interference. open.substack.com/pub/scilight...

An error message reads: Safari can't find the server "nca2023.globalchange.gov"

BREAKING: A source tells me that the Trump administration has shut down public access to every single National Climate Assessment, the Congressionally-mandated quadrennial report assessing how climate change is affecting the U.S.

This is what you get when you try to access them online

Climate NOAA experts provide data, tools and information to help people understand and prepare for a changing climate.

Fool's gold standard
via @scilight.bsky.social
Climate.gov Didn't Fit Trump's "Gold Standard" open.substack.com/pub/scilight...

This is amazing news! BUT! And I'm SO SORRY FOR DOING THIS - the Trump administration has terminated billions in research funding at leading research institutions doing CRISPR research. Federal investment likely made this breakthrough possible. We'll likely see less of this in the future. #science

Science Left Behind: SciLight’s Inside Look at the Federal Brain Drain of 2025 Vacant leadership, mass firings, and the quiet dismantling of America’s scientific institutions.

Science Left Behind: SciLight’s Inside Look at the Federal Brain Drain of 2025
open.substack.com/pub/scilight...

The High Cost of Falling Behind Why U.S. Biomedical Innovation is at Risk

Cuts to funding for #biomedical #research impact more than just the individuals in the lab - they affect our ability to innovate. Please read this great guest post by Dr. Catharine Young about the threats to the future of innovation in biomedical #science. open.substack.com/pub/scilight...

The Appointment of David Geier: A Predictable Breach of Scientific Integrity in Vaccine-Autism Research How Placing an Unqualified Science Denialist in Charge of Public Health Research Endangers Us All

SciLight joins a multidisciplinary analysis today to bring attention to the appointment of David Geier to lead a study on vaccines and autism. The appointment of Geier to lead this study is a serious and dangerous misstep that will put public health at risk. open.substack.com/pub/theunbia...

Trump Administration Rescinds First Scientific Integrity Policy The decision prioritizes politics over science

It is a travesty that the Trump administration has rescinded the NIH's policy on scientific integrity. This opens the door to wide-scale political interference in agency science, and people will suffer as a result. open.substack.com/pub/scilight...

Agencies Closing Science Advisory Committees NASA, NOAA, USGS, and other agencies are in the process of eliminating or significantly reducing their scientific advisory committees.

Thanks to @aip.bsky.social FYI science for speaking with me about the importance of scientific advisory committees.

Trump Administration Begins Plans to Shutter Science Offices NASA, EPA...which office is next?

Trump Administration Begins Plans to Shutter Science Offices
open.substack.com/pub/scilight...

A Survey on Trump's Impacts to Students How are students feeling right now?

Are you a #student attending an accredited #college or #university? We'd love for you to take this #survey regarding your perception of the #Trump administration's actions on your academic experience. Please share widely. The survey is open for one month. open.substack.com/pub/scilight...

One Whole Year of SciLight! A look back at what we've accomplished together.

SciLight turns one year old today! Check out what we've accomplished over the past year. open.substack.com/pub/scilight...

Researchers sound alarm as Interior snuffs out science panel Six weeks after the Federal Advisory Committee for Science Quality and Integrity's first meeting, it was axed by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.

Thanks to @politico.com @eenews.bsky.social for covering the Trump administration disbanding our committee on science quality and integrity. What a loss for the American people. www.eenews.net/articles/res...

DOGE firings rattle Colorado ferret program as populations are on the mend The federal firing spree in February hit Colorado’s black-footed ferret hub hard, where two-thirds of the recovering population is bred and housed

DOGE firings rattle Colorado ferret program as populations are on the mend

A Guide to Contacting Your Legislative Representatives Take action to protect public health research!

There's still research funding that's frozen. Here is a guide from Dr. Bernat Navarro on how to contact your legislative representative and demand that your government continue to support critical public health research. #science #policy open.substack.com/pub/scilight...

Trump Disbands First Ever Scientific Integrity Committee A committee that I served on

Breaking: Trump Disbands First Ever Scientific Integrity Committee open.substack.com/pub/scilight...

This is an amazing win for federal workers and our scientific enterprise. Our take here: scilight.substack.com/p/nsf-is-rei...

Breaking: DOGE Arrives at NOAA on Same Day that Neil Jacobs is Nominated as the Agency’s Head SciLight has received reports that Elon Musk’s “DOGE” arrived at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) this afternoon.

Breaking: DOGE Arrives at NOAA on Same Day that Neil Jacobs is Nominated as the Agency’s Head
open.substack.com/pub/scilight...

Jacob Carter on Substack Feds, hold the line! Reductions in the federal workforce can impact public health and safety for several years to come.

Prior work by SciLight authors shows that reductions in the federal workforce impact health and safety for several years to come. Hold the line, #federal and #government employees! substack.com/@scilight/no...

What Can I do to Defend Federal Science? As expected, we saw an assault on science during the first week of the Trump administration.

Five concrete strategies.

From @scilight.bsky.social

A Toolkit for Federal Scientists Information on rights, protections, and resources available to defend science for the public good

Hey, @bsky.app community! If you are interested in #science #policy and politicization of science in government, follow us. We're experts on scientific integrity and former feds. We develop resources, too, to help defend science (e.g., this toolkit). scilight.substack.com/p/a-toolkit-...

Department of Interior canceled seven oil and gas leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Some have decried this is a scientific integrity controversy. Is it? Read the details on this issue in SciLight's new post. #science #policy #sciencepolicy #news

Another #Trump term will deepen us into the climate crisis. Today's post in SciLight discusses what #climate #science and #policy would look like should Trump win a second term as US president. Please make sure to subscribe if you want more science policy #news. open.substack.com/pub/scilight...

And that’s why scientific integrity policies and culture are so important! To prevent, or at least make sure there’s a process, to call out that kind of politicization of science.

What happens to EPA #science under a second #Trump term? We break down proposed plans from Project 2025 in our first official SciLight post. In summary, this is bad news for environmental protections. Real bad.

As a former gov scientist and someone who has researched science policy over a decade, this quote seems to be on point. But for regulations, science is the ultimate decider. For example, listing decisions under the endangered species act have to be based solely on science.

Makes me wonder if the billion-dollar sea walls being constructed are doomed to the same fate as this dune.

Coming soon: SciLight Shining a Light on the Politicization of Science

Yesterday, we launched a newsletter focused on covering the politicization of science-informed policy making. If you care about these issues, then give us a follow. We'll have more content coming out soon! #science #policy open.substack.com/pub/scilight...