A message from the National Association of Science Writers Board of Directors:
NASW was founded more than 90 years ago with a mission to “fight for the free flow of science news.” That mission is imperative, yet threatened by recent challenges to the First Amendment and the freedom of the press. At the same time, sweeping changes to the federal government, including funding cuts, communication freezes, and layoffs, are seriously hindering the ability of scientists, science communicators, and public information officers to facilitate the flow of information to journalists and the public.
Journalism in the United States depends on – and is vital for – a functioning democracy, and these myriad challenges threaten journalism in every subject area. As science journalists and communicators, we are all too familiar with the perils of false neutrality or false balance, and we do not want to see it applied to reporting on the state of the government. We stand by the values of transparency, open communication, and fact-based and evidence-based reporting. We stand against censorship and efforts to spread misinformation and disinformation, and we urge you to do the same in your capacity as a journalist, communicator, and human.
As an organization that promotes the professional interests of science communicators both in the United States and globally, the National Association of Science Writers is committed to fostering a science writing community that is inclusive, equitable, accessible, and represented by a diversity of professionals. Diverse perspectives and voices are essential to communicating science.
Efforts to roll back progress in creating a more inclusive and diverse scientific workforce will have ripple effects across our profession. Science journalists and writers are responsible for assessing, contextualizing, and sharing scientific innovations, which often emerge from collective, international efforts to pool resources and knowledge. Actions that limit who is included in science will also limit the quality and breadth of scientific information available to society.
The more people who are trained to become scientists and science communicators, the more minds are available to tackle the many global challenges we face. We are redoubling our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility, and have recently announced a new round of annual Summer Diversity Fellowships. We also reiterate our commitment to our international members and to our partner organizations in the World Federation of Science Journalists. NASW supports science writers and communicators regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, physical ability, nationality, age, socioeconomic status, and belief. We do not tolerate harassment, discrimination, or incivility.
These are unprecedented times for the United States. Yet we remain steadfast in our values, and our dedication to this community is stronger than ever. We, and our fellow volunteers active in many committees, are planning virtual events and developing resources to help our fellow science writers over the next months and years, and we welcome your suggestions for ways that we can support you better or your ideas for getting involved at NASWSupport@nasw.org.
NASW resources:
Volunteer opportunities:
https://www.nasw.org/article/support-diversity-committees-work
https://www.nasw.org/volunteer
Workshop on mental health and community wellness check-in
https://www.nasw.org/events/burnout-causes-and-remedies-science-communicators
https://www.nasw.org/events/community-wellness-check
Digital safety resources and webinar
https://www.nasw.org/page/collected-resources-digital-safety
Information Access Standards
https://nasw.org/infoaccessstandards
Code of Ethics and Member Conduct https://www.nasw.org/page/nasw-code-ethics-member-conduct
