St. Petersburg rally to support science. By Seán Kinane / WMNF News (29 June 2026).
Scientists and their supporters are fighting back against government cuts to research. In a small demonstration Monday morning, three people held signs and waved at passing traffic outside the US Geological Survey building near the USF St. Pete campus.
St. Petersburg resident Cathy Michels used to teach nursing. She researched cancer until the federal government cut four major cancer programs for children.
“A lot of the research, we’re 2 years in out of 4 years, and it all just stopped,” Michels said. “So it was a waste of money really to fund even the 1st 2 years then if you’re not gonna finish the project. … Well, we were doing research on why there was higher maternal death rates in Arkansas than anywhere else in the country. That was one. There was multiple, but I’m just giving you one example.”
Michels says that she would rather the government fund science than war.
Another demonstrator, Patricia Pettyjohn is a retired academic librarian.
“Well, science, as we all know, saves lives. And it is a huge economic driver for the American economy. A lot of our innovations and a lot of our pharmaceuticals, a lot of our health care research, all of that needs support and it needs support that’s not politicized,” Pettyjohn said.
She is encouraging people to get involved in the national organization Stand Up for Science, which organizes rallies to try to protect science and research. And to learn more about a new proposal from the OMB.
“I am very concerned because the Office of Management and Budget, the OMB, has recently proposed a ruling that would remove peer review as the way that they assess grants, research and publications,” Pettyjohn said. “And it’s got a limited period through the middle of July for people to comment on this. We’re encouraging people to go out there and comment.”
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