Are you a scientist looking for ways to use your expertise for the good of your community? If so, this toolkit is for you. Whether you’re an early career scientist just getting started in advocacy, or an experienced scientist/advocate looking for new ideas, we can help you up your game. The tips, tools, and other resources below will help you stand up against attacks on science, form productive community partnerships, communicate effectively to a variety of audiences, and expand your knowledge base.
Take Action: Watchdog for Science
Join the movement to defend science against attacks by the Trump administration and Congress by signing up for our Science Network's Watchdog for Science campaign. We'll give you the tools and opportunities you need to most effectively push back on attacks on science, and to pushforscience-informed solutions.
Increase your impact with these tips and tools
Use these guides to strengthen your advocacy skills and ability to connect with decision makers and the media, and within your community.
- Engaging with policymakers
- Engaging with community groups
- Talking with the media
- Effective science communication
Spark local action
If you’re ready for more engaged efforts, UCS will provide the how-tos and tips for creating community and effecting change on the issues that are most important to you.
Design your own actions and campaigns
Want to create policy or social change, but wondering where to start? Use these tools to help you ask the right questions, do the research, and connect with others to chart out your pathways effective action and stronger influence.
- Beyond the Trend of Decolonizing Science
- Setting equity goals
- Building strategic local action
- Power mapping your way to success
- Ten questions for researching policymakers
- Strengthening your impact through collaboration
- Nuclear Fall Toolkit for Students and Faculty - Take Action on Campus
Stay informed on the latest threats to science
It’s challenging for the busy scientist to keep track of the many actions and proposals that threaten science-based policy. Here are some resources for keeping up to date:
- Follow our science and democracy experts on the UCS blog at blog.ucsusa.org/scidem.
- Keep up with unfolding stories of attacks on science by the Trump administration and Congress
- Follow the Science Network on Twitter at @scinetucs and join our LinkedIn community
Tools for protecting scientists
If you or a scientist you know is facing harassment or concerned about it, you need to know about your rights and options. These resources can help.
- The Science Protection Project connects scientists with legal advice.
- Science in an Age of Scrutiny. This guide provides clear do’s and dont's for engaging with harassment online and in the media.
- Make a Note to the Record offers advice for federal scientists who need to document potential scientific integrity abuses or other issues that threaten their agency's mission.
- Secure information-sharing and data protection. Need to share something safely? We can help.
- A Guide for Federal or Federally-Funded Scientists on Advocating for Science in a Politicized Environment from our partners at the Climate Science Legal Defense Fund.
Survey: Give us your feedback
We'd like to hear from you! Fill out our short user survey and tell us about actions or events in your area, how you're using the Science in Action Toolkit, and what we can do to make it more useful.