From dc72c81ea2cb0516c6913ef787b1cacbe6eb6175 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: aresastro Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2017 13:11:36 +1000 Subject: [PATCH] Added aims and goals --- aims-and-goals/index.html | 104 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 104 insertions(+) create mode 100644 aims-and-goals/index.html diff --git a/aims-and-goals/index.html b/aims-and-goals/index.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c60e43b --- /dev/null +++ b/aims-and-goals/index.html @@ -0,0 +1,104 @@ + + +{% include head.html %} + +
+
+
+
+
+

March For Science Australia

+
+

Aims and Goals

+
+
+

About the March

+

The March for Science is a global event bringing together people from all walks of life who say we need more evidence and reason in our political process. We champion the public discovery, distribution, and understanding of scientific knowledge as crucial to the freedom, success, health, and safety of life on this planet.

+

We are a nonpartisan group, marching to promote stable public science funding, open communication of science, evidence-based policy, and greater scientific literacy and education in critical thinking.

+

All people who value the role of science in society are encouraged to take part in the March for Science.

+

Aims of the March for Science Australia

+

The aims of the March are centered around fostering a flourishing culture of robust scientific pursuit, ensuring that the knowledge gained through science is used for the public good, and improving the public’s relationship with the scientific process.

+

Universal Literacy

+ +

March for Science Australia calls for:

+

    +
  • World-class science education and teaching of critical thinking skills in Australian schools.
    • +
+ +

A well-informed community is essential for a free and successful society. We support initiatives to promote broad public knowledge and discussion of scientific work. We support science education that teaches children and adults to think critically, ask questions, and evaluate truth based on the weight of evidence.

+

Science is not a field that should be understood by a select few; every person, from every background, deserves an education that encourages scientific learning alongside the arts and humanities. Science works best when scientists come from diverse perspectives, and we must work to encourage and support a new generation of scientists that increasingly includes historically underrepresented groups.

+

The March for Science Australia recognises that science and scientific pursuits have been used in the past to disenfranchise many minority groups. We are committed to the promotion of science, now and in the future, as an endeavour which all persons have the right to pursue. Diversity can only strengthen and enrich scientific inquiry, and the inclusion of people from all walks of life, and the promotion of equal opportunities within science, should be a goal pursued by scientists and science supporters alike.

+

Open Communication

+ +

March for Science Australia calls for:

+

    +
  • Assurance that public research methods and findings will not be censored;
    • +
  • Public availability of all publicly-funded research; and
    • +
  • Encouragement of public communication and outreach initiatives.
    • +
+ +

For governments to censor research outcomes when the conclusions are unfavourable is completely unacceptable. Thankfully, reports of this happening in Australia are rare. We have been shocked by reports of scientists overseas being gagged from talking about their work, and horrified by the mass sackings of academics in Turkey. Science is an international pursuit and the suppression of one scientist’s work diminishes us all. Rigorous academia must be allowed to flourish.

+

March for Science Australia condemns the extortionary nature of academic publishers that charge high fees for access to articles published in their journals while making steep profits. We support rules mandating public access to publicly-funded research, including the ARC’s and NHMRC’s Open Access Policies, which should be further strengthened to ensure open access to all research.

+

We recognise that the road to open-access science is hampered by the value of publishing in journals which prohibit open access even after an embargo period. The ARC and NHMRC’s Open Access Policies require open access within 12 months of publication unless the work is published in one of these journals which do not allow for open access. In contrast, the USA’s National Institutes of Health (NIH) allow no such exceptions for work funded fully or in part by the NIH. This rule has been in place since 2008 and does not appear to have negatively affected the quality or quantity of NIH funded research. Australia’s public research funding bodies should take the next step towards open access by requiring that any research funded through them be made publicly available within 12 months of publication, with no exceptions made for predatory publishers.

+

As well as the benefits to the scientific community of open access to published work, there is a great benefit to the public when scientific discovery is communicated in a way that is both accurate and accessible to all. We celebrate the many science communication and outreach programs which currently make science accessible to school students and the public, and call for the extension of these initiatives.

+

Informed Policy

+ +

March for Science Australia calls for:

+

    +
  • Decision-makers to genuinely consider the all the available evidence when formulating policy; and
    • +
  • The public to hold decision-makers to account if they deny or ignore evidence for political reasons.
    • +
+ +

Science observes and asks questions about the world. As new evidence is found, our understanding is continually updated, presenting us with new questions and answers. Science gives us the ability to examine these questions and craft improved policies and regulations that serve our best interests. Political decision-making affects our daily lives and should take account of peer-reviewed evidence and scientific consensus.

+

We acknowledge that the complexities of social and environmental issues mean that many factors must be considered when applying evidence to create public policies. However, when those tasked with making public policy do not consider all the available scientific evidence as the starting point for their decision making, the resulting policies will not serve the common good and may ultimately endanger our standard of living and that of for future generations across the planet.

+

The March for Science invites the public to join us in voicing their concerns to their elected representatives, and to hold these representatives to account by not returning them to office if they do not properly respect and take account of scientific evidence.

+

Stable Investment

+ +

March for Science Australia calls for:

+

    +
  • Long-term public investment in scientific research by the Australian government, to provide researchers with the stability needed to plan and execute large-scale projects; and
    • +
  • Investment in basic research as a matter of priority.
    • +
+ +

Stable funding is required for the long-term research projects our society needs to solve complex problems, but levels of funding for various organisations in the Australian science sector fluctuate from year to year. This instability stifles innovation as researchers cannot formulate a long-term research plan if they cannot be sure they can cover staff and project costs into the future.

+

There has been a shift in recent years towards a focus on commercialising research. This is an essential area but cannot come at the expense of basic, or “blue-sky”, research (research for which the applications are not immediately obvious). Basic research often doesn’t generate a financial return in the short term, but overall, it provides a return many times over in the long term, both financially and in terms of providing public goods. Prioritising the commercialisation of existing concepts at the expense of basic research will foreseeably lead to the stream of commercialisable ideas drying up.

+
+
+
+
+

Our Goals for This March

+

Humanise Science

+

Science is first and foremost a human process—it is conducted, applied, and supported by a diverse body of people. Scientific inquiry is not an abstract process that happens independent of culture and community. It is an enterprise carried out by people who seek to expand knowledge of the world to build a better, more informed society.

+

Support Scientists

+

We gather together to stand up for scientists, including those in the public service. We pledge to speak up for them when they are silenced, to protect them when they are threatened and to provide them with support when they feel they can no longer serve their institutions. Scientists in both public and private sectors must be allowed to communicate their results freely, without misrepresentation or distortion and without the fear of retribution.

+

Advocate for open, inclusive, and accessible science

+

We strive to break down barriers in our own community. A career in science should be an option for anyone and everyone who is passionate about discovery. Likewise, the process and results of scientific inquiry should be open to all. Science can assist the decision-making of all people, from the choices we make as consumers to the policies we adopt through public debate. By inviting scientists and STEM professionals to speak in public spaces around the globe, we voice our support for freely available science.

+

Partner with the Public

+

We join together as scientists and supporters of science to promote the importance of partnerships formed between the lab and the broader community. Science works best when scientists share their findings and engage with the public allowing a greater community of minds to help shape, share, and participate in the research process. Researchers also look to the public for inspiration on what new questions need to be asked about the world around us.

+

Affirm Science as a Democratic Value

+

Science is a vital feature of a working democracy, spurring innovation, critical thinking, increased understanding, and better, healthier lives for all people. By marching in Australia and around the world, we take one of many steps to becoming more active in our communities and in democratic life. We hold our leaders—both in science and in politics—accountable to the highest standards of honesty, fairness, and integrity. We gather together to send a message: we will all work to ensure that the scientific community is making our democracy stronger.

+
+
+
+
+

Science and Public Policy

+

The March for Science Australia is not aligned with any political party, but we do aim to influence our country’s policy makers. Science as a process of discovery is apolitical but the application of evidence to policy has always been political.

+

The March for Science has generated a great deal of conversation about whether or not scientists should involve themselves in politics. In the face of an alarming trend toward discrediting scientific consensus and restricting scientific discovery, we might ask instead: can we afford not to speak out in its defence?

+

For the most part, scientists and science supporters have remained silent in the face of +

policies that ignore scientific evidence and endanger both human life and the future of our world. New policies threaten to further restrict scientists’ ability to research and communicate their findings. Staying silent is a luxury we can no longer afford. We must stand together and support science.

+

The application of science to policy is not a partisan issue. Anti-science agendas and policies have been advanced by politicians on all sides, and they harm everyone. Science should neither serve special interests nor be rejected based on personal convictions. At its core, science is a tool for seeking answers. It can and should influence policy and guide our long-term decision-making.

+

The March for Science champions science, including using the power of science to develop better policy. We understand that the most effective way to protect science and ensure that science will influence policy is to encourage the public to value and engage with science. This can only be achieved through science education and communication that forms ties of mutual respect between scientists and their communities.

+

We encourage scientists to reach out to their communities and share their research, and communicate the impact of science on our everyday lives. We must take science out of the labs and journals and share it with the world.

+
+
+
+
+

March for Science Australia acknowledges the traditional custodians of the Australian continent, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

+

Science should be pursued for the benefit of all people and for the health of the environment we depend upon. We recognise that science and scientific pursuits have been used in the past to disenfranchise many minority groups. We are committed to the promotion of science, now and in the future, as an endeavour which all persons have the right to pursue and enjoy the fruits of, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, religion or lack thereof, political affiliation, or socioeconomic status.

+

Diversity has strengthened and enriched scientific inquiry, and the inclusion of all peoples and the promotion of equal opportunity and training within science should be a goal pursued by scientists and science supporters alike.

+
+
+
+
+ +