During his first presidential mandate, Donald Trump signed An act of Congress Name an observatory funded by the federal government after the late astronomer Vera Rubin. The act celebrated it Historical research on dark matter – the invisible and mysterious substance which constitutes a large part of the universe – and noted that it was a frank defender for equal treatment and the representation of women in science.
“Vera herself offers an excellent example of what can happen when more spirit participates in science”, The observatory website said about Rubin – Until recently.
Monday morning, a section of her online biography entitled “She pleaded for women in science”, had disappeared. He reappeared in a stripped form later in the day in the midst of a chaotic response from the federal government to Trump Campaign against diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
Although there are many more seismic changes in progress in America than revising three paragraphs on a website, the page editing track offers the opportunity to look at how institutions and agencies sail through the intolerance to the new administration of everything that is perceived as “awake” and illuminates one responsible for calculation must do to answer a largely open question:
How far is too far when it comes to recognizing inequalities and defending against it?
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During the second presidency of Donald Trump, Propublica will focus on the areas that most need a meticulous examination. Here are some of the problems that our journalists will look at – and how to contact them safely.
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“Vera Rubin, whose career started in the 1960s, faced many barriers simply because she was a woman,” started the modified section of the biography. “She persisted in studying science when her male advisers told her that she should not”, and she balanced her career with children’s farming, a rarity at the time. “His strength to overcome these challenges is admirable in itself, but Vera has worked even harder to help other women sail on what was, during her career, an area very dominated by men.”
This first paragraph disappeared temporarily, then reappeared, intact, Monday at noon.
This was not the case for the paragraph that followed: “Science is still an area dominated by men, but the Rubin Observatory works to increase the participation of women and other people who have historically been excluded from Science. The Rubin Observatory welcomes all those who want to contribute to science and takes measures to lower or eliminate the barriers that exclude people with less privileges. »»
This paragraph had disappeared Thursday afternoon, as is the assertion that Rubin shows what can happen when “more spirits” participate in science. The word “plus” has been replaced by “a lot”, changing the meaning.
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“I’m sure Vera would be absolutely furious,” said Jacqueline Mitton, astronomer and author who Co-written a biography of Rubin’s life. Mitton said that the expression “more spirit” implies that “you want people’s minds of all different history”, an idea that naturally follows text now deleted on systemic barriers.
She said that Rubin, who died in 2016, would like the observatory to name her work pleading for women and other groups that have long been underrepresented in science.
We do not know who ordered the specific alterations of Biography of Rubin. The White House, the observatory and the federal agencies that finance it, the National Science Foundation and the Ministry of Energy, did not answer the questions from Propublica.
The observatory page on Diversity, equity and inclusion also lacked Thursday afternoon. A Archived version of December 19 shows that he described the efforts of the institution “to ensure a fair and impartial execution of the hiring process, including the training of the job committee” on unconscious bias. “The Dei program also included educational and public awareness efforts, such as” respecting web accessibility standards “and plans to create partnerships with” organizations at the service of the traditionally under-represented public “in science and technology .
Similar revisions take shape across the country because companies have reversed their dei policies and that the Trump administration has placed employees working on initiatives for on leave.
If the changes in Rubin’s biography are an indication of what remains acceptable under the vision of Trump for the federal government, certain facts on historical disparities are sure for the moment. But any recognition that these biases persist seem to be in the reticle.
US Air Force even pulled training videos on Black aviators and civilian pilots which served during the Second World War. (THE Air Force said later He would continue to show the videos in training, but certain materials related to diversity would be suspended for examination.)
One of Rubin’s favorite dictations was: “Half of all brains are in women,” said Mitton. His book tells how Rubin challenged sexist language in scientific publications, recommended that women occupy leadership roles in professional organizations and refused to speak during a 1972 event held in a club where women were only allowed to enter through a rear door.
Jacqueline Hewitt, who was a graduate student when she met Rubin during conferences, said that she was inspired by Rubin’s search and how she never hid the fact that she had children. “It was really important to see someone who could succeed,” said Hewitt, professor of physics at Julius A. Stratton at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “It was as if you could succeed too.”
Rubin received the national science medal by the president of the time, Bill Clinton, in 1993. The observatory, located in a part of Chile where the conditions are ideal for observational astronomy, was appointed according to her in 2019 and included a powerful telescope; He will “soon attend the explosions of millions of dying stars” and “capture the exquisite cosmos”, ” According to his website.
Mitton said that the observatory is a memorial that continues Rubin’s mission to include not only many people in astronomy, but more of those who have not had the chance to do their brand.
“It’s very sad that it is undermined,” she said, “because work is not done.”