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Open thread for NOAA scientists to speak freely about scientific and technical matters based on their official work without approval from the public affairs office or their supervisors.

By Andrew David Thaler, on December 8th, 2011

Yesterday the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) released their new scientific integrity policy, which specifically states that:

“To support a culture of openness, one of the policy’s key provisions affirms unequivocally that NOAA scientists may speak freely with the media and public about scientific and technical matters based on their official work without approval from the public affairs office or their supervisors.”

source

This new policy is a major step forward for government transparency and promotes the free and open exchange of knowledge among scientists in a public forum. Well done, NOAA.

Are you a NOAA scientist with something to get off you chest? Maybe you’d just like voice your support (or disdain) for the new integrity policy? Or perhaps you’d like to test the waters with an innocuous, but unsupervised, public statement? Please use the comment thread of this (or any other) post as an open forum for you to speak freely about scientific and technical matters based on your official work without approval from the public affairs office or your supervisors.

December 8th, 2011 | Tags: , | Category: marine science, Natural Science, Outreach, Science

1 comment to Open thread for NOAA scientists to speak freely about scientific and technical matters based on their official work without approval from the public affairs office or their supervisors.

  • Patric Douglas
    December 8, 2011 at 6:04 pm

    Ummm, in regards to this statement, “Please use the comment thread of this (or any other) post as an open forum for you to speak freely about scientific and technical matters based on your official work without approval from the public affairs office or your supervisors.”

    May I refer you to the definition of an “Anarchist” which surprisingly has roots in your statement:

    Anarchist Definition
    an·ar·chist
    noun

    1.a person who advocates or believes in anarchy or anarchism.

    2.a person who seeks to overturn by all constituted forms and institutions of society and government, like NOAA, which prides itself in lock step Pavlovian behavior from it’s overworked/underpaid/unappreciated scientists and field researchers.

    3.a person who promotes disorder or excites revolt against any established rule, law, or custom. Used in a statement, “Please use the comment thread of this (or any other) post as an open forum for you to speak freely about scientific and technical matters based on your official work without approval from the public affairs office or your supervisors.”

    Let anarchy reign and let the NOAA research community speak, but just in case, you may want to assign nom de plumes for each, lest The Long Horny Hand of Lubchenco reach out to establish order in this online Madras of Anarchy you set loose here.

    Happy Holidays!

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