AAG Kicks Off Earth Day with the March for Science

Geographers from around the globe participate in the March for Science in Washington, DC

Geographers from around the country traveled to Washington, D.C. on Saturday, April 22, 2017, to demonstrate and show their support for the March for Science. Despite the rain, Geographers and scientists from many other disciplines and their supporters rallied to march for science!

As a formal partner of the march, AAG was proud to stand with many other organizations that shared a belief that science should be well funded and that political leaders should enact evidence-based policies for the common good.

To kick off the day, the AAG Meridian Place office served as a gathering place and information center for geographers participating in the March. Coffee and refreshments were available for marchers throughout the day. Guests included families like the Brownell family who traveled all the way from Columbus, Ohio, to take part in the march!

Mid-day, you could see marchers holding banners and signs that read, “March for Science Including Geography – The Glue that Holds the Rest Together,” “In Science We Trust,” “Policy After Peer Review,” “The Climate is Changing, Why Can’t We,”  “Science Not Silence,” and many more. AAG members and staff carried three signed Geographers March for Science banners during the march. The three banners had been on display during our Annual Meeting in Boston, April 5-9, and AAG attendees had a chance to sign the banners. Kudos to our AAG President Glen MacDonald who somehow managed to slip past the crowd and get in front of the march with our signed Geography March for Science banner! 

In addition to the March for Science in Washington, D.C., satellite marches were happening around the country and throughout the world. Many AAG member geographers participated in marches including AAG Past President Sarah Bednarz, in Albuquerque, NM; Eric Huntley, Lexington, KY; Paul McDaniel in Atlanta, GA; faculty and students from Salem State Geography, Salem, MA; Dawn Wright, in Vienna, Austria; and many more.

At the conclusion of the march, AAG invited members, partners and supporters to a happy hour reception at the AAG Meridian Place office to rest, catch up and to celebrate the march.

AAG would like to thank all the members, partners and supporters who participated in the March for Science. The day was a great success and we look forward to collaborating and partnering in future events that will have an important impact to the discipline of geography and the overall future of science.

For a visual recap of the day’s event, check out our Twitter Moment here.  In addition, we’ve captured the highlights of the day on Facebook as well, and you can watch it here.

Visit the AAG Policy Action page to learn more about our work on the March for Science and to see the ost recent policy actions taken by the AAG.