Thank you to everyone who has participated! View published McClintock Letters here. Once your letter has been published, please share it with us here!
If you are interested in working with us to incorporate public-facing sci-comm into your research institution’s SOP or to request a workshop, please reach out to SNAP, Emma Scales, or Izzi Di Tomassi.
Objective and Scope
Federal funding for scientific research is under unprecedented threat. How the public responds to this threat depends on the stories they hear, and who they hear them from. Unfortunately, local communities rarely get to connect with the scientists whose work their tax dollars support. Direct communication is how we continue to foster trust between the scientific community and the public who fund us. All over the country, fascinating, valuable research that pushes the boundaries of human knowledge is being conducted by an incredible diversity of scientists, and the public deserves to know about it. This is where we come in. To increase public awareness of the value of federally-funded research being done across the United States, we have organized this nationwide science communication project, the McClintock Letters Initiative.
This initiative, organized by a coalition of early career researchers comprising the Scientist Network for Advancing Policy (SNAP), along with Cornell Advancing Science and Policy Club (ASAP) and Science Homecoming, encourages scientists to write opinion pieces for their hometown newspapers – sharing what their research is about, why it matters, and why science is worth investing in.
Outcomes
The McClintock Letters Initiative resulted in a flood over 200 published pieces in 45+ U.S. states and Puerto Rico, reaching millions of people, with more pieces continually materializing from over 600 scientists who pledged to write. Many of these pieces were published the week of June 16th – Nobel Prize-awarded geneticist Barbara McClintock’s birthday. Along the way, we trained over 300 scientists in public-facing science communication and op-ed writing.
These pieces were accompanied by reporting in national media (see our press mentions here) and an open letter from early career researchers regarding the vital nature of public funding to our personal and national futures and what is at stake if this funding is lost.
The Future of the McClintock Letters
We are spreading the word, collecting feedback, and brainstorming ways to implement what we’ve learned from this initiative at the institutional level, with the hope of cementing public-facing science communication into the scientific method. If you are interested in working with us to incorporate public-facing sci-comm into your research institution’s SOP or to request a workshop, please reach out to SNAP, Emma Scales, or Izzi Di Tomassi!
We are also currently conducting a study that will hopefully shed light on the barriers preventing scientists from engaging in public-facing science communication and how to effectively foster more public engagement. We hope to publish our findings soon!
Why “McClintock”?
Barbara McClintock was the first American woman to win an unshared Nobel Prize in the sciences. She paved the way for women and other groups of people historically considered “outsiders” in scientific research, the same groups that are blatantly being targeted today by federal policies. Her discoveries in the maize model system transformed our understanding of genetics and enabled innovations in the field that revolutionized everything from plant breeding to life-changing gene therapies in humans that have the potential to eliminate deadly heritable conditions. Dr. McClintock also served on a committee to promote Science Foundation Legislation, encouraging the establishment of the National Science Foundation, meaning part of her legacy is being threatened by recent government actions and budget cuts.
Her story exemplifies how unique perspectives can accelerate STEM research, and her work exemplifies the value of basic science. Both of these concepts are under threat today, making Barbara the perfect figurehead to represent this effort.
Important Guidelines
Your letter to the editor / op-ed for your local hometown paper should generally cover:
- Your research as a next-generation scientist,
- Its broader impacts,
- How research in your field generally impacts the local community
- How the local community impacted your journey to science, and
- A call for action
- Please refer readers to our Locals Supporting Science Pledge by including “tiny.cc/sciencepledge” in your article; also can encourage local science engagement, contacting congresspeople, etc.
Please select a local newspaper that distributes to your hometown or a town of significance to you. We encourage you seek free editing services available through our McClintock Letters Slack group, found here.
Visit the Published McClintock Letters page to view example pieces.
Here is a quick tips guide for writing your McClintock Letter piece and some resources and another guide compiled from a recent workshop. You can also check out our FAQ and please don’t hesitate to contact us with questions at ibd5@cornell.edu or eks88@cornell.edu or SNAPscipolorg@gmail.com.
This initiative was recently featured in Forbes (twice), The New York Times, NBC News, Science, Cornell Chronicle, and the Ithaca Voice!