A Regime Change and the Scientists' Response

On the first day of his second presidency, Donald J. Trump initiated what many obseervers have called a regime change in the United States, part of of which is an attack on academic freedom and scientific knowledge. In essence, Trump and his enablers appear to be claiming that their electoral victories justify an unprecedented expansion of presidential power, generally without the consent of Congress. By the time of this presentation, we should know whether this unprecented expansion of presidential power has been sanctioned by Supreme Court decisions, and whether or how effective resistance has taken place.

The presentation will discuss: (1) the historical background of this extraordinary event; (2) its profound impact on academic freedom, the governance of higher education and the funding and conduct of scientific research in the United States; (3) the mixed response of the academic and scientific communites; and (4) the implications of all this for America's scientific standing worldwide.