MSU Sociology faculty shares funding experience at Lansing science rally

March 11, 2026 - Karessa Weir

Dr. Stephanie Nawyn, Associate Professor of Sociology, was one of six speakers at the March 7 Stand Up for Science rally on the steps of the Michigan Capitol building.  

The event was organized by Madison Plunkert, doctoral candidate in the Department of Plant Biology,  and was one of many held across the nation to highlight the importance of government funding for scientific research. 

Nawyn shared with the audience the story of how her National Science Foundation grant she received in 2023 was later withdrawn.  

“Our grant came through NSF’s ADVANCE program which was designated to support research and programs that increase gender equity in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields,” Nawyn said. “I say ‘was’ because I was among the many faculty whose grants were terminated last year.  

“We were given no reasons other than our project no longer fit with ‘agency priorities,’ we were told that we could not appeal the decision (which was illegal so we appealed anyway) and we were given no opportunity to complete any of the work that we started as the termination was ‘effective immediately.’” 

Also speaking at the event were Dr. Chaz Hong, cancer researcher and chair of MSU School of Medicine in the College of Human Medicine, Alyssa Green, fish evolutionary biology grad student and science communicator in the Department of Integrative Biology, Stephen Stresow, PhD student in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and state Rep. Julie Brixie who represents MSU and East Lansing. 

The national events, organized under the banner “Rally to Take Back Science,” were hosted by Stand Up for Science, an organization created to defend and advance what it calls America’s scientific ecosystem. 

Organizers said the goal of the National Day of Action was to end political interference in science and health and to champion decision-making grounded in evidence and the public interest.