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Mar 3, 2025, 15:52

Magdalena Skipper: An assault of science and scientists anywhere is an assault on science and scientists everywhere

Magdalena Skipper, Editor In Chief at Nature Portfolio, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“As assault of science and scientists anywhere is an assault on science and scientists everywhere. The research community is a global community which is why it so painful to watch when science, the scientific method and the importance of facts come under fire anywhere.

It is even more painful when it happens in a country which has contributed so much to our collective state of knowledge, technology and innovation, a country which has contributed to international institutions and to the training of generations of researchers, doctors, engineers and innovators.

‘One month has passed since the start of Donald Trump’s second US presidency. In a letter to the incoming president, Nature urged Trump and his administration to build on the nation’s legacy and achievements in science, and further boost research for the sake of prosperity and security (Nature 637, 517; 2025).

The administration has chosen the opposite path, launching an unprecedented assault on science, on research institutions and on vital international organizations and initiatives.’

Yes, it is true that – very sadly – we have seen similar assaults before elsewhere. But it is the scale and the speed of this attack that are particularly chilling.

Over the past month, together with the global community, have watched and extensively reported (for example) the devastating actions of the new administration.

In our editorial this week, we call on the whole research community globally ‘to denounce these actions, to shout about their negative effects, to support researchers and to defend their ability to work and study without fear for their jobs’.

‘Global scientific organizations must also show their support, including those who represent young scientists, scientific academies and researchers at risk around the world. We urge them all to speak up for their US-based colleagues – and the crucial work they do – just as they support researchers at risk elsewhere.’

As members of the global research community ‘we denounce this assault on science. And we encourage the global research community, wherever they can, to voice their opposition.’

And then we ask the community to actively uphold and promote the values and the principles of good science, at every opportunity. This is what we will do, through our editorial policies, through our journalistic coverage and in our research publishing.”

More posts featuring Magdalena Skipper.