Natural Science 0112 - Trump vs. Science

Science is a product of the society in which the work is conducted. Every political administration in the United States has influenced science, but the acuteness with which the current administration is impacting the direction and dissemination of scientific research is unprecedented. Areas of science including agriculture, health & disease, technology, environment, and energy are all being shaped by the Trump administration. We will review this administration's specific reports, policies, orders, and laws that will affect scientific research. We will review the published science that supports or refutes those reports and policies. Each student will be responsible for adopting a particular area of science of their choosing and documenting how that type of research is being impacted. Students will learn to use scientific primary sources to help differentiate fake science from what has been supported by data. Keywords:scientific research, politics, social media, scientific publication, science communication

Environments and Change Students should expect to spend 6-8 hours weekly on work and preparation outside of class time