As Stanford University professors in physics and medicine, we have dedicated our careers to education, scientific discovery, and the pursuit of knowledge. We have trained students, conducted research, written papers, given talks to share knowledge and aimed to push the boundaries in our fields. But today, we find ourselves in a fight not just for our disciplines, but for higher education as a foundation for scientific discovery.

Are you a faculty member increasingly worried about the Trump administration’s attacks on science? We have a simple action you can take today: Join us in the Stanford Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP).

The Trump administration’s attacks on science in academia are not theoretical. They are happening now. Federal funding for life-saving medical and scientific research is being slashed — not based on merit, but on ideological fiat. Stanford could lose $160 million or more in research funds — significantly curtailing scientific discovery on the Farm. The Department of Education, a key institution for maintaining educational standards and access, faces attempts to dismantle it entirely. Attacks on people — including scientists — threaten the sustainability of research and education in academia. International students and faculty members are being detained by for minor missteps and threatened with deportation for exercising their right to protest. The rights — and very existence — of transgender people are being erased. Efforts to diversify STEM — hard-won progress in making science more inclusive and representative — are under siege. 

As fellow Stanford professors, we know many of you already feel the urgency of this moment for science. We cannot stand by while our life’s work, work which saves lives and materially benefits humanity, is destroyed by this administration. 

The AAUP offers clear leadership in defending science in academia. Joining the AAUP is a step all faculty members can take today to defend the future of scientific discovery.

The danger of silence

We are disheartened by Columbia University’s choice to comply with the Trump administration rather than challenge them in court to defend education and research. We believe this is a mistake. There is no appeasing an administration intent on eroding the foundations of higher education. If we sacrifice academic freedom now, we will continue to lose ground — harming generations of students, researchers and educators. Columbia is a test case for this administration’s attempts to control our institutions of higher learning. What will Stanford do when they come for us? Will we bend the knee like Columbia? Or will we fight for our students, scientists, and professors to pursue scientific knowledge freely, without fear of government sanction? 

We cannot afford to be passive. History has shown us that anticipatory obedience — complying with unjust demands before they are enforced — only hastens the erosion of rights. The AAUP has explicitly warned against this because compliance with authoritarian policies will not shield us from further attacks.

Why the AAUP matters

Honestly, we hadn’t heard of the AAUP until recently. Yet, we discovered that the AAUP is one of the strongest organizations standing between academia and authoritarian overreach. It is actively fighting back, not just through advocacy, but through clear legal action. The organization has come to the defense of Columbia University faculty researchers, suing the federal government for halting scientific research to suppress speech. It has filed lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s policies that threaten to deport faculty and students for lawful protest. It has taken legal action against attempts to dismantle the Department of Education. It is suing to stop the suppression of scientific research and to block executive orders that seek to ban diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Beyond legal defense, the AAUP provides a vital space for faculty across disciplines and institutions to unite. In a time when universities are hesitant to act, the AAUP empowers individual faculty members to make our voices heard. It is a place where we can share information, coordinate responses and collectively defend the mission of higher education.

Academic freedom is not optional

This is not just about research funding or institutional policies. It is about whether we, as educators and researchers, have the freedom to both seek scientific knowledge and teach without government suppression. Whether our students will have funding for education, pathways to excellence and access to scientific resources. Whether researchers can pursue knowledge without partisan interference. 

The Trump administration is accelerating its attacks on academic freedom and shared governance with direct action against universities like ours. This is not a battle we can fight as individuals. It requires collective action, organization and solidarity. 

We as faculty must take a stand — for our students, for our colleagues and for the future.

The AAUP is leading that fight, but it cannot do so alone. Every professor who joins strengthens our ability to push back against the dismantling of scientific teaching and research in higher education. All faculty, regardless of tenure-line and academic staff are eligible to join the AAUP.

Every new member to AAUP says: We will not be silenced. We will not allow partisan ideology to dictate science, medicine, or education. We will stand together in defense of knowledge itself.

Join us on April 11 at 4 p.m. for a meeting to learn about the AAUP and how joining the organization helps defend science: https://bit.ly/Stanford-AAUP-April-2025

We joined the Stanford Chapter of the AAUP to defend our students, our colleagues and our researchers. If you believe in the value of higher education and academic pursuit of knowledge, we urge you to do the same.

Lauren Tompkins is an Associate Professor of Physics

Alyssa Burgart is a Clinical Associate Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine