OCTOBER 26, 2023 - NEW YORK — Open inquiry is increasingly under threat in the natural and applied sciences. Whether through the publishing system, rules for competitive grants, restrictions on data access, hiring criteria, or simple social pressure, an orthodoxy of “acceptable” research has found its way to STEM departments on campus (Sciences, Technology, Engineering, and Math).

The stakes are high. When university laboratories and departments compromise the processes they use to discover new medical treatments, make technological breakthroughs, or track global crises, the human costs can be staggering.

In the 2023-24 academic year, HxA is beginning a new initiative focused on Open Inquiry in STEM. We are working to gather STEM professors, students, and administrators who work in STEM fields; explore the problems, and potential solutions, related to open inquiry in STEM; and demonstrate the power of real, constructive, evidence-driven debates on controversial topics in STEM. HxA members can expect new live and virtual events, funding opportunities, and STEM-focused content features.

Please visit the STEM initiative page for more details, including a preview of the first STEM Summit scheduled for February 2024.

This work is possible thanks to support from Schmidt Futures, a philanthropic initiative of Eric and Wendy Schmidt.