At an APS event on Capitol Hill in July, four physics societies joined forces to advocate for programs that broaden participation in the STEM field, an advocacy initiative funded by a grant from the American Institute of Physics.
Representatives from the groups — APS, the American Association of Physics Teachers, the National Society of Black Physicists, and the National Society of Hispanic Physicists — attended 12 meetings with the staffers of congressional members in the House and Senate, including key appropriators. The advocates focused on the critical role federal science agencies play in strengthening the domestic STEM workforce, and how certain policy provisions in the House appropriations bills threaten that mission.
There are positive signs: A recent Senate appropriations report includes language aimed at broadening participation in STEM fields among underrepresented groups. The report emphasizes that “ensuring individuals from underrepresented communities across the country can enter and sustain a career as part of the STEM workforce is essential to securing the workforce going forward.”
“I believe the bigger obstacle will be persuading the House to agree with this,” said Beth Cunningham, CEO of the American Association of Physics Teachers. “We need AAPT, APS, NSBP, and NSHP members to actively engage with their senators and members of Congress to let them know how important it is to retain this language in the appropriations bills passed by both the House and Senate.”
Stephen Roberson, president of the National Society of Black Physicists, warned that more action is needed to reverse the impact of past policies. “The unprompted brain drain in federal science will take more than a positive report from the Senate to repair,” he said. “The hope is that the report is just the beginning with respect to restoring funds and support to scientific research.”
Mario Borunda, president of National Society of Hispanic Physicists, stressed the need for continued federal backing. “We should not see reductions to programs that actively keep our nation as a leader on this competitive global scientific stage,” he said.
The Senate report language is good news, said Julie Davis, the APS federal relations senior associate. But, she added, “Further advocacy will be crucial to ensure that language makes it into the final fiscal year 2026 spending bills.”
