Beyond the Bench:

The Perceived Price of

Activism

Kathy Barker

February 17, 2011 1

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The sometimes

obscure lab culture...

Are scientists activists?

Activism takes you to the

realm of controversy.

DATA Interpretation Advice Counsel Advocacy Activism

How to Lose Your Political Virginity while Keeping Your Scientific Credibility David Blockstein, BioScience 52(1): 91-96. 2002.

Data

There is a strong

culture of activism in

science.

But it isn’t part of

the mainstream

story.

Albert Einstein, of course.

The economic anarchy of capitalist society as it exists today is, in my opinion,

the real source of evil. (Albert Einstein, 1949)

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Are successful scientists more

comfortable with activism?

(Are activist scientists more likely to

be successful?)

Is there a price to pay

for activism?

•No.

•Yes

•Yes, but so what?

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The worries.

• I don’t have the time.

• It might hurt

professionally.

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I don’t have the time.

• That is the dilemma for every scientist

with a concern about the welfare of

society or how science is used in

society. For Muller it was a lifetime

commitment that required an abundant

amount of energy, a very efficient use of

time, and a capacity to endure despite

withering criticism and setbacks.

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E.A. Carlson, “Speaking Out About the Social Implications of Science:

The Uneven Legacy of H.J. Muller. Genetics 187,1-7, January 2011

It might hurt me

professionally.

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Tips for political advocacy

• 1. Convey that you understand something about Congress.

• 2. Demonstrate your grasp of the fundamentals of the

congressional decision- making system.

• 3. Don’t seek support of science as an entitlement.

• 4. Don’t convey negative attitudes about politics and politicians.

• 5. Perform good intelligence gathering in advance.

• 6. Always use a systematic checklist.

• 7. Do your homework on the issue or problem.

• 8. Timing is vital.

From Wells 1993, AAAS

Tips continued. • 9. Understand congressional limitations.

• 10. Make it easy for those in Congress to help you.

• 11. Keep the “bottom line” in mind.

• 12. Use time- your and theirs-effectively.

• 13. Remember that members and staff and mostly

generalists.

• 14. Don’t patronize either members or staff.

• 15. Don’t underestimate the the role of staff in Congress.

• 16. Consider and offer appropriate follow-up.

• 17. Remember that the great majority of members and staff

are intelligent, hardworking, and dedicated to public service.

Recommended best practices for

science-based advocacy.

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Note: These are intended to suggest “norms of behavior” for scientist-

advocates, to ensure that their policy recommendations are grounded in

science: ie to distinguish “science-based advocacy” from “advocacy-driven

science.” from “Above the din but in the fray: environmental scientists as effective

advocates. Meyer et al, 2010, Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 8:299-305.

A good place to

start- working with

organizations.

Professional organizations- local chapters,

involvement with section, workshops at

meetings, etc.

Advocacy organizations- check funding and

mission, push for community opportunities.

Community organizations- interdisciplinary

interests.

Communicating

across cultures.

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Motives? Why do you

want to talk to the public?

• To do your job.

• Inform.

• Preach.

• Share.

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Conversing beyond the

bench • Tell a story. It isn’t about the data.

• Frame the discussion.

• Keep it brief.

• Don’t worry about nuance.

• Avoid jargon, embedded theories,

and inside jokes.

Listen

.

Meetings are

different. • No jargon.

• Learn Robert’s rules.

• Be prepared to talk about

emotions, personal aspects of an

issue.

• Cope with different formats, and a

lack of an agenda.

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Embrace

(Okay, tolerate)

complexity and conflict. • You might as well- it isn’t going away.

• Be honest about your own ability to

accept a paradigm change.

• Consider interests, not issues.

• Assume best intentions.

• Don’t take things personally.

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Fair

Medical

Trade. What Mahmood Bhutto did right:

• Carefully considered strategy and aims.

• Submitted Opinion paper and then waited..

• Worked with the British Medical Association.

• Offered and facilitated solutions.

K-12 activism

• Many opportunities for action-

mentoring, curriculum, science

programs, in-class teaching,

etc.

• Fraught with political and

communication issues.

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Advice from a

teacher. • Rule 1- Make it as easy as possible for

the teacher. Don’t ask the teacher for

supplies, or to provide supplementary

readings for the students.

• Rule 2- Ask, don’t tell. You don’t have to

act subservient, but you aren’t the boss

here. Deal with the teacher as one

professional to another, but remember

you are in her territory, not yours.

Gloria Seelman, Student and Teacher Internship

Program Coordinator, NIH

And for students:

“For young students, racial and cultural

background, as well as gender, will

influence how those students feel about

science, and whether or not they are able

to “hear” you. It is still very possible to find

students who believe they are too dumb to

learn science, and this may manifest not

necessarily in shyness and hesitance, but

in acting out or being rude.

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Surprising venues.

Hagopian, A. and K. Barker (2011).

"Should we end military recruiting in

high schools as a matter of child

protection and public health?"

American Journal of Public Health

101(1): 19-23.

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What we said:

• Recruiting minors in schools is contrary to the U.N. Convention of the Child.

• Military recruiting is aggressive in public schools.

• Health outcomes for young people in the military are far worse than for adults.

• Brain function in minors, especially in the frontal lobe, is different than in maturity.

• The process of military recruiting in schools is similar to that of predatory grooming.

• This should be a public health issue, taken up by organizations concerned about children’s welfare.

What “they” said we

said:

• Military recruiters are sexual predators!

Things I learned...

• Jargon is hard to avoid.

• You can be personal and be

professional.

• You are often heard better if you speak

from inside the community.

• There comes a time of limited returns.

• Leverage, leverage, leverage.

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Professional development

is changing.

• Communication skills are recognized as

being vital.

• Advocacy as a basic competency for

scientists, engineers, everyone.

• Need role models

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And so is the culture!

Know about the

history of science

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Take advantage

of every

opportunity to

communicate.

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Be revolutionary!