The University of Mississippi's scientific community joined others across the country to raise awareness for science. MPB's Matt Kessler reports from Oxford this weekend's March For Science was part of a larger international effort.
AUDIO: "What do we want? Evidenced-based conclusions. How do we want it? After peer review."
Unlikely protesters wave signs, chant and march through the streets of downtown Oxford on Saturday. These protesters are of all ages and nationalities. And their signs have numbers and formulas on them.
Oxford organizer Marco Cavaglia insists that the March was a non-partisan event.
"This is a great opportunity to let people know about science and celebrate science and what scientists do and how science improves our lives."
Oxford was one of 600 cities where marchers took to the streets in a public display of solidarity. Organizer Marco Cavaglia, who is a physics professor at the University of Mississippi, disagrees with the argument that scientists should avoid politics and stick to the lab.
"Science in a certain way is political because it affects the lives of everybody. We don't want to make laws and policies. So, I think, both as scientists and private citizens, we should say something and take a stand in the values we believe in."
Not everybody marching in Oxford was a scientist. Ten-year-olds Juno and Megan Collie were at the front of the march.
AUDIO: "Why are y'all marching today? Because science matters. Yes, it does matter. Everything's going to go bad. So we need to protect it and make sure, we need to talk about to let everyone know so they can help and do what matters."
The March For Science organization insists that the marches were just the first step in a larger movement to promote community building and to improve relations between science and society.
