Promoting a Culture of Scientific Advancement
To promote a culture of scientific advancement, ASM will advocate for the following:
- Robust, sustained and predictable funding increases for agencies and programs that support the basic, translational, clinical, and applied microbial sciences.
- In recognition of the essential role of the microbial sciences in the emerging bioeconomy, policies that support the development of infrastructure resources, improved data collection and curation, and technologies that allow experts in different fields to make important contributions to the development of microbial and other systems.
- Policies that embrace and promote diversity, equity and inclusion in science because doing so leads to better science and greater scientific advancement. Policies should allow for equal advancement of women and underrepresented minorities in STEM careers.
- Affirmative steps to address and eliminate discrimination and harassment at all levels and on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexuality, nationality, class, education, disability and/or social position.
- In recognition that scientific advancement is a global pursuit, public policies that allow and encourage formal and informal scientific collaboration regardless of national boundaries. At the same time, the integrity of publicly-funded research enterprise must be protected against misuse.
- Public policies that balance the preservation of scientific freedom with protection of national security and economic interests.
- Primary, secondary and university curricula based on sound, rigorous science, as opposed to politics or personal beliefs. Curricula must also provide students with a deep understanding of the role of the microbial sciences in the global challenges they face and prepare them to creatively, ethically and innovatively solve problems at all levels.
- Support for early-stage investigators, which is essential to fostering the discoveries and advancements of tomorrow. The fresh ideas that have led to some of the greatest scientific discoveries have occurred early in one’s scientific career; therefore, policies should ensure robust support for early-stage investigators.
- Encouragement of widespread access and distribution of high-quality peer reviewed research. Scientific societies and the editorial functions of society journals play an indispensable role in developing and curating accessible scientific information.
- Safeguarding of the peer review process, and the recognition that peer review is an integral part of the scientific process and should be protected from non-scientific considerations.
