Thousands Expected to “March for Science” on Saturday

Courtesy March For Science Philadelphia

Between 5,000 and 15,000 people are expected to “March for Science” in Philadelphia on Saturday.

The Earth Day march – which is connected to a larger demonstration planned for Washington, D.C.  – will begin at 10 a.m. at City Hall and end at the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing, where a rally (including a band and speakers) will run between noon and 2 p.m. 

Almost 5,000 people said they plan to attend the event on Facebook, and more than 14,000 said they are interested. It’s one of more than 500 satellite marches linked to the Washington event, organized by scientists and civilians concerned about the state of the earth, climate change, and scientific research – especially during Donald Trump’s presidency (though organizers have said the march is nonpartisan, even if it’s inherently political).

“Philadelphia is home to more than 530,000 STEM jobs, a wealth of academic institutions that graduate more than 37,000 STEM majors annually and a research and development machine which was awarded more than $1 billion in NIH funding in the past 5 years,” the Philly event’s website reads. “While many Philadelphians appreciate the vital role that science plays in our everyday lives, recent shifts in the public discourse have shown that we need to better communicate our methods and findings to our communities.”

Keynote speakers include: Derrick H. Pitts, the chief astronomer and director of the Fels Planetarium at The Franklin Institute; Dr. Ted Daeschler, an associate professor and curator of vertebrate zoology at Drexel University; Dr. Denise L. Mauzerall, a professor of environmental engineering and international affairs at Princeton University; and Dr. Paul A. Offit, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and the director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

You can register for the march online, though registration isn’t necessary for participation. Visit marchforscience.com for more information, and check out Philly march’s Facebook page or website to get involved.

Follow @ClaireSasko on Twitter.