Federal scientists play an important role in our democracy by providing critical expertise to decision makers and the American people. To fulfill this responsibility, they must be able to communicate freely with the media, the public, and their peers.
But in many cases, federal scientists have reported that their public communications are censored, constrained, or funneled through agency media offices.
Additional Report Links
In this report
Report
Freedom to Speak?: A Report Card on Federal Agency Media Policies
To assess the degree of freedom with which science is communicated at federal agencies, the Union of Concerned Scientists conducted an investigation of 15 federal regulatory and science agencies.
Downloads
Related resources
Report
Strengthening Diversifying the Federal STEM Workforce
A report on strengthening and diversifying the STEM workforce at federal agencies
Activist Resource
Scientist-Community Partnerships: Resources
Links to articles, videos, and other web resources that may be helpful to scientists and communities seeking to form partnerships.
Podcast
Science Fiction
Science fictions are widely held dangerous beliefs that are not supported by science. Jess explores a few of these in anticipation of the continued propagation of science myths during the next US election cycle.
Report
Safeguarding Science in State Agencies
This report finds that states lack policies and laws needed to safeguard science at government agencies from politicization, and makes recommendations for reform.