Wisconsin State Capitol
Madison, WI
3/7/2025
The writing was on the wall. But few took time to read the words. The words that continually came from Trump's mouth and the people with whom he surrounded himself made clear he had no love for science or education. This, in my opinion, was because a quick dollar couldn't easily be made. Trump has shown that his primary interest is the grift to make an easy buck from the punters who worship him.
In February, the White House began its assault on funding research by first trying to cancel all monies from the NIH (National Institutes of Health) and whatever other governmental agency he thought he could control. Their supposed goal was to cut spending by the government. A new agency was created, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by multi-billionaire Elon Musk, a foreign national with no prior experience in government and another person whose motivation seems to be greed and a thirst for power. Musk became the primary backer of Trump's presidential campaign at a time when the campaign was near broke. One can only speculate what Musk was promised in exchange for his cash infusion to the campaign.
With the cancellation of research funding, many universities and colleges nationwide were thrown into panic mode. NIH and other government funding sources provide much of the money to pay for research, graduate students, and lab personnel. Without these dollars, programs cannot recruit new students to continue the research. Moreover, most research cannot be put on hold while the faculty waits for more money; if the research stops abruptly, years of work would be destroyed, causing real waste.
Today's Stand Up for Science event aimed to highlight the importance of research and all that it has accomplished. It also aimed to let those listening stop roadblocking grant approvals and the distribution of monies desperately needed by college and university graduate and research programs.
Disclaimer: Besides being a photographer, I manage the Biophysics Graduate Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I have worked since 2007. Since the Trump administration announced this freeze on funding, I have experienced its effects firsthand. Having worked in higher education for over 25 years, I can say that what we are experiencing is unprecedented and poses the greatest existential threat to higher education I've ever witnessed.
Event description
On March 7, 2025, we rally to defend science as a public good and pillar of social, political, and economic progress.
We call on policymakers, institutions, and the scientific community to uphold the integrity of science, protect its accessibility, and ensure its benefits serve all people.
Agenda
12:00 PM - 12:10 PM
- Welcome Remarks - John Denu
- John Denu, a Wisconsin-based scientist, will deliver welcome remarks in the Capitol Rotunda. A series of lightning talks will follow!
12:10 PM - 12:20 PM
- Impact of Federal Funding to WI - Rick Eisenstein
- Rick Eisenstein, a Wisconsin-based scientist, will give the first lightning talk of the day - focused on the impact of federal funding to Wisconsin. Please join us in the Capitol Rotunda!
12:20 PM - 12:30 PM
- Federal Support of R&D as an Economic Engine - Tom Still
- Tom Still, President of the WI Tech Council and former WI State Journal Associate Editor, will give the second lightning talk of the day - focused on how federal support for research and development serves as an economic engine. Please join us in the Capitol Rotunda!
12:30 PM - 12:40 PM
- Innovation and Future Venture Investment in WI - John Neis
- John Neis, Managing Director of Venture Investors, will give the third lightning talk of the day - focused on innovation and venture investment in Wisconsin. Please join us in the Capitol Rotunda!
12:40 PM - 12:50 PM
- Dairy Research in WI - Laura Hernandez
- Laura Hernandez, Maternal Health Researcher, will give the final lightning talk in the Capitol Rotunda - focused on dairy research. Please join us in the Capitol Rotunda!
1:00 PM - 1:40 PM
- March Around the Capitol Square
- Attendees are invited to walk the inner sidewalk of the Capitol square while carrying their signs, starting on the State Street end. The march will be led by the “Forward” Band, with additional music provided by Isthmus DJs.
1:40 PM - 1:50 PM
- Dairy and Science: A Delicious Mix - Mitch Breunig
- Join us on the Capitol steps as Mitch Breunig of Mystic Valley Dairy discusses the delicious duo that is dairy and science!
1:50 PM - 2:00 PM
- Chronic Pain - Cheryl Stucky
- Lightning talks continue on the Capitol steps with Cheryl Stucky, Milwaukee-based Researcher, who will discuss chronic pain.
2:00 PM - 2:10 PM
- A Cancer Story - Lisa Stewart-Boettcher
- Cancer survivor Lisa Stewart-Boettcher will share her story during the third lightning talk of the afternoon. Please join us on the Capitol steps!
2:10 PM - 2:25 PM
- Future Scientists - Megan Lauber, Haley Deorio, Alex Mikesell
- Scientists in-training Megan Lauber , Haley Deorio, and Alex Mikesell will give the fourth lightning talk of the afternoon. Please join us on the Capitol steps!
2:25 PM - 2:35 PM
- Fostering Appreciation of Science - Bassam Shakhashiri
- Bassam Shakhashiri, Emeritus professor and former NSF assistant director, will discuss fostering an appreciation of science during the fifth lightning talk of the afternoon.
2:35 PM - 2:45 PM
- A Call to Action - Jo Handelsman
- Jo Handelsman, WID Director and former Associate Director for Science at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, will close out the day with a call to action on the Capitol steps.
2:45 PM - 3:00 PM
- Discuss and Plan Action Items
- Join us as we conclude by discussing and planning future action items.
Note: I am not affiliated with any political organizations. I am an independent freelance photographer covering marches, protests, and rallies in Madison, Wisconsin, documenting the people's right to free speech and their right to organize.
