A message from Professor Barry Everitt, President of FENS: March for Science

On 22 April 2017, neuroscientists in Europe have the opportunity to join with our colleagues in the United States to ‘March for Science’ and to show the strength of our feelings about the importance of global collaboration, the open-exchange of scientific ideas, and the critical role of scientific data in decision-making and policy.

Recent political events in the United States have brought these issues to sudden prominence there. As a result, the American Association for the Advancement of Science has backed a planned protest march by researchers of all disciplines in Washington DC. The Society for Neuroscience has strongly endorsed and committed to the march.

However, this is not simply a challenge for science and researchers in the US; it is a matter of supreme global importance, as is powerfully evidenced by the fact that the March for Science has ‘gone global’. Marches in solidarity are taking place in many cities in Europe and across the world.

As president of FENS, I encourage all European neuroscientists to find out more about the marches, attend one if you can, or lend your support in other ways.  It has never been more important to make the case for the importance of brain research, both fundamental and applied, to inform policy. How else can we make progress in preventing and treating brain disorders, and thereby ensuring a mentally healthy and productive population?

FENS President, Barry Everitt

More on the March for Science here.