Conclusion
I’ve finally come to the end of my article series from my debut book, Necessary Symbiosis: What Happens When Science and Government Work Together (and When They Don’t).
I’m eternally grateful for my support system through this wild ride during an even crazier year. This entire process of writing a book in 2020 has been enlightening and fun. I could explore my policy interests, and I hope I was able to express my passion for science advocacy through these excerpts.
Scientists — we must all become our own advocates for our research. If we don’t, then someone else will and could twist it for their own gain.
Non-scientists — scientists need your help in advocating for science! It’s okay if you’re not well-versed in science, that’s what learning is for. And scientists don’t know everything, that’s the beauty of being a scientist! With your help and support, scientists can advocate for better policies that can benefit everyone in society.
Below is an excerpt from my Conclusion (formatted for Medium). Enjoy!
As I noted in earlier chapters, I’m pretty lucky because of my parents’ encouragement to read, learn, and be opinionated. But I also come from a family who is politically aware and active, especially on my mom’s side. My great-grandfather marched with Mahatma Gandhi and was jailed at least once for his activism (that I know of).
Mom and I joke that politics is in our blood. So, it’s a bit easier for me to say that scientists need to be activists and be advocates because of my own experiences. That can be a leap of faith for other scientists because of what they might have experienced, whether that is being told to “stay in their lane” or “just stick to science.”
However, since governments globally have shown that they are willing to ignore scientists, facts, and data, it’s crucial for scientists to speak up and advocate. That can be something as simple as calling local representatives. Individuals don’t have to be a senior scientist to do that. Anyone who is worried about the future of science and the future of our planet can do it. Elected representatives do listen to what their constituents have to say, and politicians respond to pressure.
As already mentioned in Chapters 7 and 8, getting involved at the local level of government is the easiest and most important way to affect change in politics. If you’re a student or faculty member at a college or university, see what procedures they follow and get them to change their environmental policies. Students successfully lobbied the University of California system to fully divest from fossil fuels in March 2020, a movement that started after Hampshire College in Massachusetts became the first college to do so.(1)
These types of systematic changes are often ripple effects. As long as the pressure stays, businesses and people in power are forced to listen. If you’re a professional in the industry, you can do something similar and see what sorts of policies your company has.
National organizations can help refine our talking points, so we don’t go off on jargon-y, lengthy explanations. Just like how we have to learn a 30-second elevator pitch for finding a job, we should create a 30-second elevator pitch for policy change, to get the first meeting with a representative in public office or someone in the industry. And while many of us are eager to talk about our research or passions — myself included — we should remember who our audience is. Sometimes, they just know the big picture, so we should keep our explanations simple, even if it isn’t completely accurate.
If we can learn how to integrate an ordinary differential equation, I think we can learn how to pitch our research-related policy ideas to elected officials and industry influencers.
If we don’t speak up about what we know, and how facts and data are helpful to society, then someone else will use our work for more malicious intents. By constantly speaking out against misinformation and terrible science policies, our voices will be heard. Pressuring leaders always works. That’s what the anti-vaxxers do, so scientists must do the same to combat pseudo-science.
Over the past few weeks, I have been sharing excerpts and stories from my book, Necessary Symbiosis, in this article series. My book Necessary Symbiosis: What Happens When Science and Government Work Together (and When They Don’t) is available here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08PW4XP38. If you want to connect, find me on Twitter (@KarraVyshnavi), Instagram (@karravyshnavi, @necessarysymbiosis), and at www.vyshnavikarra.com.
(1) Teresa Watanabe, “UC becomes nation’s largest university to divest fully from fossil fuels,” LA Times, accessed May 19, 2020.
