Indiana University Faculty and Students Organize Forum for Science Advocacy on Wednesday, October 1, 2025

The following was shared with the Booomingtonian:

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (Sept. 29, 2025)

— Indiana University faculty, staff and students are organizing a campus-community forum this week in response to what they see as increasingly hostile actions toward scientific research by federal and state administrations.

The forum, titled “Stand Up for Science,” will take place at 5 p.m. Wednesday in Myers Hall Room 130. It is sponsored by Concerned Scientists @ IU and its student affiliate, Advocates for Science @ IU.

Organizers say the event is part of a broader effort to advocate for the “essential role of science and evidence-based decision making” in public life. The groups’ mission emphasizes four core goals: promoting accurate representation of science in media and legislation, engaging with the public on science issues, encouraging scientists’ participation in policymaking, and supporting continued federal funding for independent research.

Formed in 2017 as an informal discussion among IU faculty, Concerned Scientists @ IU has since grown into an independent advocacy group of more than 1,000 members from the university and Bloomington communities. The organization stresses that its views do not represent Indiana University.

Over the past several years, the group has hosted lectures, organized candidate forums on science and public policy, met with legislators, submitted comments on regulatory changes, and provided outreach through workshops, blogs, podcasts and videos. Members have also supported student training in science communication and leadership, participated in voter registration drives, and advocated for university policies guided by scientific research.

“American science, including research done on our campus, is essential for the prosperity and health of the nation, and it is important that we actively celebrate the positive impact that science has on our everyday lives,” said Rick van Kooten, IU physics professor and dean of the College of Arts & Sciences.

Wednesday’s forum will highlight the group’s goals, encourage campus and community participation in advocacy efforts, and preview future events in Bloomington.

More information is available at csiub.org

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