Contact:
Richard Matthews
(203) 853-7095
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March for Science – San Francisco Celebrates the Vital Role of Science on April 22^nd

“March For Science – San Francisco” will start at Justin Herman Plaza and end at Civic Center

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, April 19, 2017 – March For Science – San Francisco announces today that the March on April 22, 2017, will begin at 11am with a rally at Justin Herman Plaza followed by a march down Market Street that ends by joining the Earth Day festival at Civic Center Plaza.

Science is crucial to the freedom, success, health, and safety of life on this planet. Scientific discoveries lead to life-saving medicines and surgeries, to designing communications that connect people, and to exploring the frontiers of our oceans and outer space. Science works to understand the world around us, makes our world safer and healthier, and pushes the boundaries of our dreams of what is possible.

The March For Science is taking its message to the streets of San Francisco on April 22^nd. The March for Science is a nonpartisan movement to celebrate the vital role science plays in our health, safety, economies, governments, and everyday lives. The main message of the March For Science – San Francisco is a rallying call for science that upholds the common good and evidence-based policymaking, education, science literacy, research funding, and inclusive and accessible science for everyone. The March for Science SF – San Francisco is one of more than 500 such Marches worldwide.

“Let our voices be heard to demand of our leaders in government: evidence-based policy and the cessation of the silencing of scientific data that is not convenient,” said Adam Savage, who will be a speaker for the March For Science – San Francisco. “Letting our voices be heard is one of the most important things we can do in a democracy; by gathering data on how we’re doing and what we’re doing, and using that data to throw out what doesn’t work and keep what does. I’ll see you on the street.”

The San Francisco March for Science has some of the most extensive programming in the country. Additional rally speeches will be from former White House Chief Data Scientist Dr. DJ Patil, UC Davis plant geneticist Dr. Pamela Ronald, Citizen scientist and ALS patient Eric Valor, former EPA Project Manager Kathy Setian, and biologist and SACNISTA Dr. Leticia Marquez-Magana. At the Earth Day Festival, speakers include Michael Eisen, the UC Berkeley professor running for Senator in 2020 and Thomas Insel, former NIH Director.

After a march down San Francisco’s Market Street, March For Science – San Francisco will join the Earth Day Festival at Civic Center Plaza. The festival will include a Science Fair at the park produced by March For Science supporters and participants, as well as speakers and other activities focused on climate issues, diversity in science and additional key topics in the event’s new “Eco Teach In” Dome. The Science Fair will be an opportunity for all ages to engage, create, discover, and connect. Activities include keynote speakers, panel discussions, food trucks, bands, an open mic stage, letter-writing zones, and a science-themed photo booth. This event will be hosted by an inspiring array of partners from across our community, including the 49ers STEAM team, California Academy of Sciences, The Planetary Society, and SACNAS.

About the March For Science – San Francisco

The March For Science – San Francisco celebrates public discovery, understanding, and distribution of scientific knowledge as crucial to the freedom, success, health, and safety of life on this planet. We are a nonpartisan group, marching in support of the following goals: Communication, Funding, Policy, Literacy, and Diversity.

For more information about the March For Science – San Francisco, go to https://marchforsciencesf.com. For press and media information, visit https://marchforsciencesf.com/press

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Re: Assembly Joint Resolution 9, The March for Science – Support

Dear Assembly Member Cristina Garcia,

On behalf of The March For Science – San Francisco, we are pleased to provide our strong support for Assembly Joint Resolution 9 (AJR 9), which affirms California’s commitment to scientific research, science education, and science-based policymaking. We also stand in strong support with those “Marching for Science” across California and the nation on April 22nd, 2017.

AJR 9 rightly notes that scientific leadership has made California a global center of innovation and discovery. Our state’s economy is driven by basic and applied research in technology, medical sciences, agriculture, clean energy, engineering, biotechnology, and more.

In addition, our public health is protected by scientific research that serves everyone, and not just those in power. With Federal rollbacks of key environmental protections, the defense of independent science in policy-making is more important than ever.

The truth is under attack. Funding cuts threaten research programs at the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, national laboratories, and many other agencies. Climate science deniers are hard at work dismantling climate policies. Scientists themselves now face intense personal scrutiny about their research, particularly if it runs counter to the messages of those in power.

The March for Science – San Francisco celebrates public discovery, understanding, and distribution of scientific knowledge as crucial to the freedom, success, health, and safety of life on this planet. We are a nonpartisan group, marching in support of the following goals: Communication, Funding, Policy, Literacy, and Diversity.

As elementary school children we learned with wide-eyed wonder about the importance and value of scientific discovery. We now must stand up for independent, rigorous scientific research and stand against those who would seek to discredit the scientific community. In doing so, we stand for the shared truths that enable our economy to flourish and our health to be protected.

Sincerely,

Steering Committee
March For Science – San Francisco

cc:

Lawrence Lingbloom, Chief Consultant, Assembly Committee on Natural Resources
Rebecca Marcus, Chief of Staff, Assembly Member Mark Stone
Nicole Hisatomi, Assembly Member Mark Stone

The Planetary Society is also endorsing the national March For Science in Washington, D.C. Below is a letter from the CEO of The Planetary Society, Bill Nye:

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Greetings, members, supporters and global community,

Big news: The Planetary Society will join the March for Science. I am serving as an honorary Co-Chair for the March, and The Planetary Society is an official partner. I will march at the main event in Washington, D.C., but there will be upward of 400 sister marches around the world. We will assemble with citizens everywhere, whether they are formal scientists or thoughtful citizens from other walks of life, to march in support of science.

After all: science is universal.

Why are we marching?

The Planetary Society empowers the world’s citizens to advance space science and exploration. We’re a nonpartisan organization of over 50,000 members, diverse people with a spectrum of political beliefs, united in their support for space and science. We focus on planetary exploration, both robotic and human. We support NASA and the space agencies of countries around the globe. We have a responsibility to support the exploration of the deep cosmos, the Sun, the Earth, as well as our own solar system.

One of the Society’s core values is Science, the rigorous process that has enabled humankind to understand the cosmos and our place within it. Science, and the technology that flows from it, has provided humans with the means to feed billions, and know nature in a way that our ancestors could not have imagined. The Planetary Society’s mission aligns with the mission of the March for Science.

The March for Science champions robustly funded and publicly communicated science as a pillar of human freedom and prosperity. We unite as a diverse, nonpartisan group to call for science that upholds the common good and for political leaders and policymakers to enact evidence-based policies in the public interest.

We march to celebrate science. We celebrate science everyday as we advocate, create and educate to advance our mission. Space science is a prime reason to be excited today and optimistic about our future. There’s immense value in exploring other worlds like Mars, Pluto, and Europa— the moon of Jupiter with twice as much seawater as Earth. As we seek to understand the cosmos and our place within it, we come closer to knowing the answers to these two questions: where did we come from? And, are we alone in the universe? In addition to valuable discoveries, space science creates jobs, produces innovations, and enables investments. The money spent on space is spent entirely on Earth; it supports tens of thousands of jobs in the U.S. alone. Private aerospace companies are making enormous strides in lowering the cost of spaceflight and advancing space science. A next generation of entrepreneurs and inventors is blazing a trail to Mars and beyond. We may find life elsewhere, get humans on the Martian surface, and witness the opening of a new marketplace in space. Space exploration brings out the best in us. It’s uplifting. People are excited. Young innovators are inspired. Space exploration is something to celebrate.

We march to advocate for space. There’s a new movement for space. In just 60 years, we have gone from testing our first rockets, to humans walking on the Moon, to sending robots to all the major planets and Pluto. We’re now learning about planets orbiting distant stars. With each accomplishment in space, new mysteries arise and beckon us to keep exploring, flying farther and deeper into the cosmos. Our work is just getting started. From weather reports, to global navigation, to magnetic ripples from the Big Bang, space benefits and fascinates us. Space is not a partisan issue.

We march to inspire unity. When we explore the cosmos, we come together and accomplish extraordinary things. Space science brings people of all walks of life together to solve problems and experience the unparalleled awe of exploration. Everyone – regardless of race, gender, creed or ability – is welcome in our journey to advance space science. Our future depends on science, and space exploration is an invaluable investment of our intellect and capabilities.

Space brings out the best in us. Science connects us.

Carl Sagan, my astronomy professor at Cornell University, cofounded The Planetary Society. He was a space science champion, advocate and communicator. He inspired the world to experience space science and delight in discoveries: achieved and within reach. His legacy lives on, through us: through you.

See you in Washington, and around the world.

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This text is copied from: http://www.planetary.org/blogs/bill-nye/20170330-bill-nye-marching-for-science.html

But scientific research and communication has a long way to go. We need greater diversity in STEM and STEM education, a more balanced set of incentives and rewards for conducting careful, reproducible studies and for transparently sharing results and data. We need to invest in scientific literacy for the public and translate more research into better health outcomes globally.

Instead, we find ourselves fighting for the basic right to a publicly funded scientific endeavor.  We are fighting to keep scientists from being silenced, to keep the agencies such as the EPA alive, to prevent species eradication on a grand scale, to maintain our public parks, and to slow the damage we are doing to our climate.

The March for Science champions robustly funded and publicly communicated science as a pillar of human freedom, health, and prosperity. We unite as a diverse, nonpartisan group to call for science that upholds the common good.

The March for Science San Francisco is an independent satellite March and science-advocacy initiative. While we share similar goals to the March for Science in Washington DC, we believe that the pursuit of science uniquely impacts California’s economic growth, preserves California’s natural environment, and protects the health of California’s residents. We are an independent, nonprofit grassroots organization that promotes public discovery, understanding, and distribution of scientific knowledge as crucial to the freedom, success, health, and safety of life on this planet.

On April 22nd 2017, join us in San Francisco and March for Science.

Kristen Ratan and the MFS-SF Steering Committee

Learn more about our team here.