Chelsey Spriggs is a talented scientist and advocate for diversity in STEM. She was recently featured in an article on the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) website. That was until the page was suddenly removed.
Now, instead of showcasing Spriggs’ journey, the page reads “Under Review,” with ASM stating that it is “evaluating” the impact of new Executive Orders issued by former President Donald Trump. The move has left many in the scientific community questioning why a professional society like ASM, which takes the bulk of its money from its journals and member contributions, is self-censoring.
A Chilling Effect on Science
Trump’s sweeping executive orders, directed at federal agencies, aim to dismantle initiatives meant to promote fair representation in hiring and research. The broader impact is already sending shockwaves through the scientific community, especially as Trump seems inclined to cut funding and attack everyone who doesn’t follow his culture war.
But here’s why this ASM move is so puzzling: they’re not a federal agency. They’re a non-profit. While they do receive some federal money in grants, they are largely self-funded. Members pay registration fees. So many members are understandably upset that instead of defending them, the organization is seemingly preemptively censoring itself.
The removal sparked backlash; one researcher blamed the ASM for “anticipatory obedience”, while another called it “truly sickening cowardice.” Spriggs herself was distraught to find out about this. “I was totally taken aback,” she told STAT. “I felt like I was being erased.”
This is all the more concerning as the ASM had previously released a statement expressing concern about the executive orders but emphasized its commitment to support “all microbial scientists.”
“The American Society for Microbiology is reviewing the recent Executive Orders (EOs) and other actions issued by the Trump Administration and is concerned about their impact on human and animal health, the profession of microbiology and the scientific research that our members conduct, which generates phenomenal dividends for the health and economy of all Americans,” the statement read.
“ASM is steadfast in fulfilling its responsibility to support all microbial scientists and our stakeholders around the world.”
The ASM has since uploaded another press release, saying that they never meant to take down the pages permanently, but they were legally advised to do so to ensure that they comply with the new Trump executive orders.
“We have received many questions in the last week about some of the content on our website being under review. Let us be clear from the start: “under review” never meant removal, despite understandable concerns to the contrary. Most of our modified pages are back up or in the process of being restored. ASM has not retracted or altered any research articles, scientific papers or peer reviewed articles on our website.”
The organization assured its members that they are “very concerned by the current landscape and the attacks on science” and that they remain “steadfast in its mission to advance microbial sciences for the benefit of all.”
But not everyone’s convinced. Kishana Taylor, a virologist and assistant professor at Towson University who serves as president of the Black Microbiology Association, told STAT “That sounds nice, but their actions are not matching their words right now.” She also added that the people who contributed to these stories were not paid; they just wanted to share their store stories because everyone needs to know the uphill battle that minority scientists face.
Diversity is now banned?
Like many science societies, the ASM published a commitment to Black microbiologists in one of its journals in July 2020. Looking at one paragraph from the Spriggs article, it’s not hard to understand why that matters:
Spriggs routinely sees reports about how only 6% of full-time faculty are Black, that Black faculty are less likely to achieve tenure and get less funding from the National Health Institutes (NIH). “I have done all of this to get this position, and the odds are still stacked against me in ways that feel more pervasive than there [not being] many faculty positions,” Spriggs said. “When you are part of the impacted group, it can put a gray cloud over your head like, ‘Why am I even trying?’”
By scrubbing these pages, the ASM is undermining its own stated mission. Scientists like Spriggs, who already face structural barriers, are once again being attacked. If professional societies begin preemptively bowing to Trump and erasing all diversity initiatives, how is that supporting all microbial scientists?
It’s not just racial, features involving other minorities were also taken down for “review.”
The pages currently being taken down for review are part of a project called IDEAA that was funded by the National Science Foundation. In a page that is also taken down now, the ASM described the project thusly:
“MicroBio-LEAP will train leaders to embody inclusive diversity with equity, access and accountability (IDEAA) and promote sustained cultural change in the microbial sciences to make the field more welcoming of individuals belonging to historically excluded groups (HEGs).”
Many scientists now see these initiatives as performative: organizations only did them when the political climate was favorable to them. Now, with Trump’s unprecedented assault, everything is scraped.
Many organizations are understandably afraid of Trump and his administration, especially considering the language in the executive orders. For instance, one such order seems to say that the administration will investigate anyone who continues to promote diversity. Many lawyers believe that is completely illegal and that the orders themselves are illegal, but that has not stopped them from taking effect.
By now, it is clear to anyone that as long as the current administration has its way, diversity is no longer supported; in fact, it is all but banned. Organizations like the ASM must decide whether they will stand by their values or quietly retreat.
