Resist and Advocate … But Plan for the Worst

President Trump has targeted science for major reductions in federal spending. We must advocate.

Advocate for STEM

The nationwide Marches for Science on April 22, 2017 demonstrated that Americans strongly support science. After all, advances across the broad range of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) are the basis of our state-of-the-art health care, productivity and countless new products, including cell phones, super-resolution technology, the internet of things (IoT), and virtual-reality presentations.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are first responders to threats such as Zika, Ebola, lungworms, and Dengue fever. Together, the NIH and CDC have the expertise to identify and evaluate new risks that seem to appear with yearly frequency. These experts in infections are particularly effective in designing flu vaccines. Other vaccines are in development. Disbanding or even reducing these critical programs will destroy teams that directly protect society, just as military and law enforcement do.

However, Trump wants to reallocate jobs to the coalfields and military, neither of which merits more support. America’s last military victory was World War II. It is interesting that WWII was won with the aid of a high-technology project developed by huge STEM teams working in the Manhattan Project.

My view is that when you give the military, including Commander-in-Chief Trump, new weapons, they get an itchy trigger finger. For example, look at the MOAB. It took Trump less than three months to find an excuse to use it. Want another example? Try George W. Bush and his “Mission Accomplished” claims after the second invasion of Iraq.

America is the leading developer of high technology. If Trump really wants to improve America, he should increase funding for STEM. STEM employs 1.4 million people in the U.S.A. Coal employs 75,000. Finding qualified applicants is hard in high tech. Recruiting coal miners is not.

Write letters to your elected representatives (House and Senate) to advocate for science. This is a numbers game—quantity counts much more than eloquence.

Trump is not comfortable with smart people and evidence based upon the best-available science. So he probably will not see the light.

What should laboratorians do? Resist!

Resist, as you can. Participate in more marches to show support for the “protect science” movement. Trump seems to respond to shows of strength from opposition. Indeed, his blustery style may be his way of finding weak resolve.

But will resistance work? It should, but it might not. If funds are cut, many of us will be out of a job. So it is prudent to prepare for the worst. Now is the time to start. I’ve found that activity begets activity.

Many have been through this before, especially during the Reagan and Bush years. When jobs are scarce, the hiring mode is to hire people you know. So dust off and actively build your professional network. Call old colleagues for a chat. Make sure they know about your work. If you can publish, lecture, or teach, do so.

I have curated five 3-ring binders of business cards. Some are out of date, but many are still active. It can be useful to occasionally call and share your experiences. With today’s technology, one still needs home addresses, private phone numbers, and e-mail addresses. Resources like LinkedIn are also useful.

If possible, take advantage of employer-funded education. This is an excellent way to network with others with similar interests. Also, instructors are often a source of good leads.

The job profile for many STEMers is changing from IRS W-2-type employment to the “gig economy,” where income is reported on IRS 1099s. If you are a subject matter expert, say in mass spectrometry of large proteins, or integration of data files, or one of many specialties, you should consider consulting in your niche. I’ve been doing this for 30 years in HPLC. It has worked well for me.

Each year, on your birthday, pull out your résumé and update it. If nothing has changed, this is probably a bad sign. In the early stage of your career, your résumé should show rapid progress by listing two to three new capabilities, benchmarks, completed projects, etc., each year. Remember—your career is really quite short, probably only about 40 years—so fill it with a record of your best and most interesting work.

Until we have a better view, conserve cash and put off big purchases. A recession may hit some locations harder than others. California, with over 30% of the private R&D spend, is particularly vulnerable. It seems we are in the inflation phase of a housing bubble. (Starter homes are selling for over $1 million.) But bubbles burst! You do not want to buy high and then have to sell low when the bubble inevitably bursts.

In summary, speak up for science and join the resistance. Resist! Look for opportunities to build your network. Privately, be cautious, especially with cash.

And in 2018, work to get out the vote! We need regime change in the House.

Robert L. Stevenson, Ph.D., is Editor Emeritus, American Laboratory/Labcompare; e-mail: [email protected].

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