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Amy Coney Barrett Faces Right-Wing Ire Over Recent Rulings
Justice Barrett sided with Chief Justice Roberts and the liberal minority to uphold birthright citizenship and mail-in voting practices.
AFSP Illinois Announces July Suicide Prevention Programs for Minority Mental Health Month
/PRNewswire/ -- In observance of National Minority Mental Health Month in July, the Illinois Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention...
Florida lawmakers help bring KIDS Act across House finish line
The online safety package boosts privacy protections for minors and still allows states to impose further restrictions.
Apple Releases iOS 26.5.2 With Security Fixes
Apple today released iOS 26.5.2 and iPadOS 26.5.2, minor updates to the iOS and iPadOS 26 operating systems that came out in September. iOS 26.5.2 comes a month after the launch of iOS 26.5.1, an update that added a charging fix for the iPhone Air and iPhone 17 models. iOS 26.5.2 and iPadOS 26.5.2 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
Sony Pictures Entertainment invests $100m in Cosm
As lead investor in Cosm’s Series C financing round, SPE will acquire a minority ownership stake in the operator of shared reality venues showing sports and films on 27m-wide, 12K+ LED screens.
Expanding pharmacists’ authority is about healthcare
Alaska’s passage of House Bill 195 marks a practical and overdue step toward improving access to healthcare, especially in a state where geography alone can turn a minor illness into
White Sox Minor League Update: June 28, 2026
The Barons get the W and snap a losing streak thanks to a four-hit, five-RBI day from Caleb Bonemer
Cubs Minor League Wrap: Jaxon Wiggins rehabs with South Bend
Knoxville and South Bend both win, proving again the class of the Cubs system are the middle two teams.
A lack of funding, a glut of stigma: How Ohio LGBTQ+ health outcomes are impacted
Being able to access healthcare in general is a struggle for LGBTQ+ individuals, and with legislation in Ohio and elsewhere that banned gender-affirming care for minors, for example, a need for healthcare can often clash with the hesitation to seek help.
Two Yankees Pitching Prospects ‘Turning Heads’ in Minors This Year
The old saying is you can never have enough pitching, which the New York Yankees have apparently taken to heart. The Yankees have a stockpile of potential starting-pitching arms in the minor leagues, including Elmer Rodriguez, and two “head turning” prospects, Ben Hess and Chase Hampton. The Yankees lead the majors in team ERA (3.30) […] The post Two Yankees Pitching Prospects ‘Turning Heads’ in Minors This Year appeared first on HEAVY.
Early Homo sapiens may have lived in rainforests, new clues suggest — and it could overturn our understanding of human evolution
The long-held idea that rainforests held a minor role in our species' evolution is changing — and our ability to adapt to these tropical areas may give insight about 'what it means to be uniquely human.'
UCLA comparative literature department to offer health humanities minor in fall
UCLA will offer a minor in health humanities starting this fall. The minor, housed under the comparative literature department, is an interdisciplinary program that examines how health and medicine are shaped by literature, culture, history and social experience, according to the department’s website.
WATCH: House Democratic leaders hold hearing on fair elections and voting rights
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Democratic lawmakers held a hearing Thursday on defending fair elections and voting rights.
Sony Pictures Entertainment Invests $100 Million, Takes Minority Stake in Cosm
Sony Pictures Entertainment Chairman and CEO Ravi Ahuja will also join the immersive entertainment company's board of directors
Upstate NY youth sports coach accused of sending indecent material to children through Snapchat
The 21-year-old faces six charges after allegedly sending inappropriate content to two minors over several weeks.
Trump cancels plan to sign major housing bill as he fights with Congress over the SAVE Act
Just hours before heading to Capitol Hill, Trump called the big, bipartisan housing bill Republicans hope to run on in the fall “of minor importance.”
White Sox Minor League Update: June 23, 2026
Chicago’s affiliates swept in winless night across the farm
Red Sox Sign Veteran Catcher to Minor League Deal
The Red Sox are bringing in 31-year-old Andrew Knizner to provide some depth in the minor leagues.
Schuylkill student places first at Future Business Leaders of America conference
Penn State Schuylkill student earned national recognition at the Future Business Leaders of America's National Leadership Conference, held June 6-8 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Carter Strouse, a third-year corporate communication major with a minor in business and the sports certificate, earned first place in Business Communication, outperforming competitors from colleges and universities across the country.
This Week in Local Sports: WWAX & WAX Sports Stream Bring the Action Home
It’s a packed week of local and regional sports action, and WWAX and the WAX Sports Stream have you covered with five exciting matchups — from women’s soccer to minor league baseball to USL competition.
Dodgers minors: Chris Newell, Brooks Auger shine on Sunday
21-year-old RHP Christian Zazueta reportedly promoted to Double-A Tulsa
Phillies on the Pharm: 6/21/2026
He might not make it back again to the majors, but he’s good in the minors
Around the Empire: You gotta always protect the McNuggets!
Jazz playing a risky game; Righty catcher, bullpen top trade priorities; Strzelecki opts out of minor league deal
District leaders celebrate strides in local and minority business contracting
Through the D.C. Community Anchor Partnership, 17 major institutions have spent more than $1.5 billion with D.C.-based businesses, including nearly $1 billion with minority-owned firms. The initiative’s leaders say it is reshaping how large institutions approach contracting by connecting them with local businesses and building capacity for long-term growth.
Cubs Minor League Wrap: Three HRs lead Smokies past Lookouts
Myrtle Beach scores 12 runs in one inning. Knoxville fights back into a 1st place tie.
Bend Police: Restaurant employee arrested for sexually abusing minors at downtown business
BEND, Ore - (KTVZ) -- A 35-year-old Bend resident, Davis Allen Kellar, was arrested on Thursday, June 18, on suspicion of sexually abusing minor co-workers at a local downtown Bend restaurant. The arrest took place at his home in the 400 block of NE Kearney Avenue in Bend. The arrest followed a month-long investigation by
Minority and women-owned businesses in Springfield earned MWBE certificate
More than 20 small, minority and women-owned businesses in Springfield have received their first-round certifications as Small Business/Minority/Women Business Enterprises, which will open new oppo…
Cook Political Report shifts 7 House races toward Democrats
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report (CPR) on Thursday moved seven House races toward Democrats, as the minority party looks to retake control of the lower chamber this November. Erin Covey,…
States file to stop DOJ from demanding patient data from providers
California and 18 other states are asking the court to bar the U.S. Department of Justice from accessing the protected health information of minor patients as part of a federal investigation into gender-affirming care.
What we observed as the Pirates played the A's in a (surprisingly pleasant) minor league ballpark
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — I hadn’t even made it inside Sutter Health Park when someone asked me what I thought of the stadium. Those conversations...
Federal Trade Commission sues leading transgender health group
The Federal Trade Commission and four states sued the World Professional Association for Transgender Health on Wednesday, in the latest push by President Donald Trump’s administration and others to limit transgender care for minors.
Georgia Republican legislative leaders reject governor's call for 2028 redistricting
Georgia’s Republican legislative leaders on Wednesday rejected Gov. Brian Kemp’s call to redraw congressional and legislative districts during a special session, citing concerns about moving too quickly after a U.S. Supreme Court decision weakened federal Voting Rights Act protections for minority voters.
Federal Trade Commission sues leading transgender health group
Four states file alongside FTC, claiming WPath made deceptive claims about gender-affirming care for minors
Federal Trade Commission sues leading transgender health group
The suit alleges the group, known widely as WPATH, made deceptive claims about gender-affirming care for minors.
Georgia Republican legislative leaders reject governor’s call for 2028 redistricting
Georgia’s Republican legislative leaders on Wednesday rejected Gov. Brian Kemp’s call to redraw congressional and legislative districts during a special session, citing concerns about moving too quickly after a US Supreme Court decision weakened federal Voting Rights Act protections for minority voters.
Richard Tapia, Mathematician Who Pushed to Diversify His Field, Dies at 88
A math whiz as a young man, he later blazed trails, both with his theoretical advances and his advocacy for minority students.
Mariners minor leaguer gets big-league call-up despite hitting .190 at High-A
Against all odds, Curtis Washington Jr. is a big-leaguer.
NWA Women in Business: Kelli Stueve
Residence: Springdale Education: B.S., mathematics with computer science minor, 2003, Morningside College; MBA, emphasis in finance, 2012, University of Colorado Denver Professional background: Stueve has more than 20 years of...
Shreveport Chamber honors six minority business leaders
The Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce honored six local leaders and businesses for their contributions to the community.
Mets Announce Starting Pitching Plan
After a stint in the minor leagues, the Mets are tapping Tobias Myers as their starter for Monday's game against the Reds.
Cubs Minor League Wrap: South Bend clinches 1st half title
South Bend clinches a title. Knoxville moves into a tie for first.
Drake Baldwin Set to Begin Minor League Rehab Assignment
The Atlanta Braves announce update on their injured catcher.
Opinion: Georgia lawmakers can erase Black districts but they shouldn't
Black and minority voices matter in the U.S. House and Georgia General Assembly.
Angels Re-Sign Veteran Starter to Minor League Deal
After opting out earlier this week, Taijuan Walker has rejoined the Angels on a new minor league deal.
Chuck Schumer is ready for redemption
The embattled Senate minority leader isn’t popular with the base of his own party. But he says he has laid the groundwork for a Democratic resurgence.
College sports bill authors making pitch to Black caucus
The authors of a Senate bill that would overhaul college athletics warned this week that a lack of congressional action this year could financially wreck historically Black colleges and universities and could reduce chances for college educations for minority students. Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and ranking member Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said they […]
Trump phone teardown confirms it's nearly identical to an existing HTC phone
It turns out the Trump Mobile T1 really is just an HTC U24 Pro, but with a few minor tweaks.
He Spent 15 Years Amassing SpaceX Shares. Now Comes the Windfall.
Justin Fishner-Wolfson, long a minor figure in Elon Musk’s orbit, is at the helm of a multibillion-dollar payout
Leon County ends minority- and women-owned business program
Leon County commissioners voted to end a program for minority and women-owned businesses due to a new state law.
Dodgers Calling Up Minor Leaguer Amid Will Smith IL Stint
The Dodgers have made their choice on who will replace Will Smith, electing to have catcher Chuckie Robinson take over his spot.
White Sox Minor League Update: June 9, 2026
A sweep across the system as affiliates go 0-6 across the board
Politics & Power: Supreme Court’s Callais ruling narrows Voting Rights Act, threatens minority representation
Yankees prospects: Week 11 minor league recap
A combined no-hitter headlines this week on the farm.
Surviving Through Mental Health Returns with Focus on Family and Healing
NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk Community Services Board is partnering with Project ORF to bring the community together again for an evening of connection, healing and support in honor of Minority M
Cook County Health free doula program has helped hundreds navigate having children
Cook County Health's free doula program has helped hundreds navigate having children.
Minority-owned businesses surge in Kansas City despite headwinds
In May, the Kansas City-based Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation released a nationwide 30-year report on entrepreneurship.
What new DBE rules mean for Illinois’ smaller contractors
Federally financed construction projects that helped women and minority businesses grow may become less available to them now.
Did Gates just swing open for Sonics' return?
Melinda French Gates joining the Kraken's parent company as a minority investor has grabbed Seattle's attention, but it's not hockey nets that people are thinking about.
Alan S King
Scope of work: King chairs the firm’s national labor and employment practice, advising Fortune 500 companies, municipalities and minority-owned businesses in employment litigation. He also serves as first deputy general counsel and is a certified mediator and arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.Significant case: He secured victories for employers, including United Airlines and Michigan TV station WZZM, winning summary judgment in discrimination and retaliation claims.Other contributions: King is president of the board of Children First Fund, supporting Chicago Public Schools, and is a producer of the Chosen Few Picnic & Festival.
Minor sports at University of Arkansas, other major colleges struggle to survive
FAYETTEVILLE -- The future of tennis and other minor sports at major universities depends on the kindness of people with deep pockets or the helping hand of the federal government.
Joy Crichlow: A Trailblazer in Minority Business Development Has Passed
Fern GillespieA pioneer in minority business development has died. For decades, Brooklyn resident Joy Crichlow was responsible for minority business owners achi
North Dakota Found Guilty of Tampering Violations
The Hawks will face a series of minor repercussions.
Schumer rips Senate Republicans for passing billions in ICE and Border Patrol funding in late-night vote
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., slammed Senate Republicans for passing a measure providing billions in ICE and CBP funding.
Chuck Schumer Privately Backs Haley Stevens in Michigan Democratic Senate Primary
Chuck Schumer, the Democratic minority leader, has remained officially neutral on the race, but in conservations with donors, he has been clear about which candidate he supports.
Minor league update for 6/4/26
The minor league action in the Rangers’ system from Thursday
MISS shifts the ecosystem of shark science
The program creates a space where women of color thrive as they dive into marine research.
Trump administration escalates legal push for medical records of trans minors
Parents said in court papers they’re worried that having records disclosed could expose them to retaliation by the Trump administration.
Cubs Minor League Wrap: Smokies stop the Barons, 6-2
The Smokies slug past the Barons. A rare loss for South Bend.
Dodgers at Diamondbacks updates. Brandon Pfaadt sent to minors
The Arizona Diamondbacks will look to salvage a split of their four-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night, June 4.
Chase Harlan shines in Ontario win
The Comets were the only team to lose across the Dodgers top four minor league levels
Mets Daily Prospect Report, 6/4/26: Games galore
Catch up on all the Mets prospects in yesterday’s minor league action!
Jase Bowen gets called up; Lake Elsinore extends its lead
Padres minor league update - June 1
Recently released Brewers minor-leaguer to give college football a try
Jordyn Adams, an outfielder on the Brewers' Class AAA minor-league team and a former top football prospect, will give football a try at SMU.
Minor League Recap: Looking Back on Sunday’s Action
Minor league recap for Sunday, May 31st, 2026 games
Melinda French Gates Just Made a Massive, Unexpected Move Into Professional Sports
Yesterday, the philanthropist announced that she would join a popular organization as a minority investor.
One Roof Sports and Entertainment Announces Investor Update
One Roof Sports and Entertainment, the parent brand of the Seattle Kraken and Climate Pledge Arena, today announced Melinda French Gates, philanthropist and businesswoman, as the organization's newest minority investor, pending NHL approval.
Apple Releases iOS 26.5.1 to Fix Charging Issue on iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Models
Apple today released iOS 26.5.1, a minor update to iOS 26. The software is available three weeks after iOS 26.5 came out, and appears to only be available for the iPhone Air and all models in the iPhone 17 lineup. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. According to Apple's release notes, the update fixes a previously documented charging issue with iPhone Air and iPhone 17 models.
Mercer Health Urgent Care Now Open Daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Mercer Health has expanded access to convenient, non‑emergency care with the launch of new daily hours at Mercer Health Urgent Care. The clinic, located within the Community Medical Center at 950 S. Main Street in Celina, is now open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., offering patients more flexibility for minor illnesses, injuries, […]
Braves Minor League Recap: Tate Southisene, Conor Essenburg Flex Power
Southisene’s OPS rises to .949 after homering and hitting a triple
Cubs Minor League Wrap: Matthew Boyd rehabs for Iowa
Matthew Boyd makes a successful rehab appearance, as does Will Sanders. South Bend keeps winning.
Political firestorm heats up after unrest at ICE detention center Delaney Hall
New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said deploying state police was “absolutely necessary.” And House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said conditions inside ‘shock the conscience.’
Moore announces $3 million in aid to help small- and minority-owned business in Maryland
Some small- and minority-owned businesses in Maryland will be able to get some investment help from the state.
The ‘Return To Xbox’ Movement Is Starting To Lose The Plot
Microsoft is trying to recapture Xbox magic, but doing so by getting lost in minor complaints from fans, with big solutions nowhere in sight.
Dodgers Make Controversial Roster Decision as Lineup Reshuffles
Some Dodgers fans are livid following their latest roster decision that sent a fan-favorite player to the minor leagues.
Haslam Sports Group to sell stake in Columbus Crew to Nationwide
Haslam Sports Groups is selling a minority stake of the Columbus Crew to Nationwide, its co-owner for the 18th NWSL team.
$3 million awarded for small and minority businesses in Maryland
The Maryland Department of Commerce has awarded six businesses with a total of $3 million in loans and equity investments through the Maryland Small Business Development Financing Authority (MSBDFA). MSBDFA provides various funds to small and...
Polish scientists and students rally in campaign for 3% funding target
Polish scientists and students have been flooding social media with calls on the government to raise research and development spending as part of 3% for Science, 100% for Poland, a campaign born earlier this month out of frustration with chronic underfunding in the academic sector. On May 27, thousands took the slogan on to the streets.The EU has been trying to convince member states to raise their R&D expenditures to 3% of GDP for more than two decades, but the idea has never gained traction in capitals. Finance ministers were too busy plugging budget holes created in the aftermath of the 2008 crisis, then the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and now the war in Iran.Critics say that countries missed or ignored the target because it is voluntary, but also because research communities have rarely raised their voice to put pressure on national governments. The European Commission hopes to make the target legally binding in the upcoming European Research Area Act, an EU-wide regulation that should be announced by the end of the year. Academia in Poland has been faced with a funding crisis for years, often leaving its members with no other choice but to work abroad in order to access better resources, or leave the sector altogether in the hope of earning a decent living. The risk, in the long-term, is that brain drain stifles local innovation capacity and technological competitiveness.In just a few weeks, the movement rallied nationwide support, including from major academic bodies and trade unions such as the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland and the Presidium of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Its public petition collected more than 23,000 signatures. On May 27, it formed the first large protest for science in Poland, gathering thousands of people in front of the parliament building in Warsaw.Ilona Uryga-Bugajska, representative of the Marie Curie Alumni Association Poland Chapter, was there. “The protest was peaceful, with no incidents reported, and the entire event took place in a respectful and calm atmosphere,” she said. Banners she saw in the crowd carried slogans such as “A little longer and I’ll be teaching in a supermarket,” “National culture, starvation salary,” “Stop the destruction of science,” “Passion will not pay the rent,” “Without action, don’t expect a better future,” and “Pull science out of the hole.” She also observed a strong presence of young researchers, who are on the frontline of Poland’s academic crisis.“Academics are usually people who prefer discussion, analysis, dialogue and compromise. We are not a group that protests easily,” said Katarzyna Marzec, professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Jagiellonian University Medical College and AGH University of Krakow, who also took part. “But many of us feel that we have been pushed against the wall.”Aleksandra Rutkowska, translational neuroscientist and research group leader at the Medical University of Gdańsk, agreed. “Frustration in the scientific community is very high,” she said. “Science is often used politically as a symbol of innovation and modernity, but the everyday reality inside many institutions is much more difficult. There is a large gap between the public narrative and the actual condition of the sector.”Maria Wiktoria Górna, head of the structural biology group at the University of Warsaw and one of the organisers of the movement, told Science|Business that the campaign would continue without proven results. This might involve another strike in the autumn, she said. “Empty promises are not enough by now.”Campaign demandsAccording to Uryga-Bugajska, the organisers officially presented their demands and concerns to representatives of the government present at the event. These included Marek Gzik, deputy minister of science and higher education, and Karolina Zioło-Pużuk, secretary of state of that same ministry.The headline demand, for the government to increase national spending on R&D to 3% of GDP by 2030, should be within Poland’s economic capacity, Rutkowska said. “The real question is whether there is genuine long-term political commitment to treating science as a strategic priority rather than a slogan.”In 2024, R&D expenditure in Poland stood at 1.41% of GDP, which is slightly above the average for central and eastern Europe, with countries such as Czechia recording 1.82%, Hungary 1.31% and Romania 0.46%. However, it falls noticeably short of the EU average of 2.24%, which just a handful of countries exceed, including Germany, Belgium and Sweden.Campaigners are also asking for fair wages for scientific staff, including PhD stipends and junior academic salaries, which are widely considered uncompetitive. Starting doctoral scholarships amount to some €843 gross per month, when the statutory minimum wage stands at €1,135. By pushing early-career researchers out of Poland, growing precarity has caused a generational gap in the academic workforce, with just 25% of lecturers aged under 40. In this context, the movement fears that scientific careers could soon be accessible to a privileged minority only.Grzegorz Spólnik is a case in point. After 15 years working in mass spectrometry at the Polish Academy of Sciences, he decided to leave partly “to earn enough money to live a normal life,” he said. “At that time, my earnings were similar to those of people working in grocery shops, and the work-life balance is something that does not exist in science, or is very hard to achieve.”Now a senior field service engineer for Polish laboratory equipment supplier Bioanalytic, he would consider going back to research, “but never in the public sector, maybe some start-up or a big private company with ambitious R&D.”The campaigners want to see more support for basic research and have called for €236 million to be added to the budget of the National Science Centre (NCN) in 2027 so that the average grant application success rate does not fall below 25%.“At the protest, there was a banner I particularly liked: ‘NCN is not a lottery.’ Unfortunately, for many researchers, it increasingly feels exactly like one,” Marzec said. “Personally, I am one of the lucky ones. I work at two of the strongest institutions in the country, where the research standards are very high. I know that in many other institutions, the situation is much worse and obtaining funding for research at an early-career stage is becoming nearly impossible.”Rutkowska also considers herself fortunate. After studying abroad and holding a postdoctoral position, she returned to Poland, where her pay was supported through an NCN-funded project linked to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. “This also made me very aware that good research conditions in Poland often depend on external competitive funding rather than on stable support from the system itself,” she said.Long-term strategyBeyond the lack of funds for both salaries and grants, scientists believe that the issue is structural. “The biggest problem at the moment is the complete lack of a clear long-term strategy for the development of science and research from the current government,” Marzec said. “Everything ends with declarations and promises that are never truly followed by concrete actions or structural reforms.”Rutkowska agreed, citing a lack of infrastructure, continuity and long-term institutional support.“Running a research group in Poland often means functioning as an entire institution at once,” she said. “I am a principal investigator, a mentor, a recruiter, a project administrator and, when needed, still someone who returns to the lab bench to help with experiments,” she went on. “This creates a large hidden workload that takes time and energy away from actual science. At times, it feels as though scientists are no longer expecting extra help; we simply hope the system will stop creating additional obstacles that make research unnecessarily difficult.”Related articlesStrategic thinking: Germany funds joint research with Poland and FrancePoland to transfer €30M of regional funds to boost Horizon Europe participationPoland is funding fewer basic research grants as high inflation hitsIn short, “academics are expected to teach, publish papers, apply for grants and conduct high-quality research, while funding and salaries remain very limited,” said Uryga-Bugajska, who returned to her home country after 13 years in the UK.According to Marzec, another issue is the way that research institutions are evaluated. Previously, this took place every four years, with a clear differentiation between stronger and weaker institutions. “The current government, perhaps to avoid political backlash, effectively concluded that everyone is doing well, so in practice no meaningful evaluation took place,” she said.But in her view, “some form of serious assessment is necessary” to ensure the excellence and international competitiveness of Polish institutions, and to determine how to best use public resources and where institutional structures need reform. “Some institutions may need to rethink hiring practices in order to attract ambitious young researchers who are capable of obtaining competitive grants and building internationally visible research groups.” Rutkowska has already had to adapt. “When hiring PhD students, I often have to combine different funding sources creatively to make positions attractive enough for talented people to stay in science,” she said. “Many young researchers do not see a stable future in academia in Poland, and that is deeply worrying.”
Polish scientists and students rally in campaign for better conditions
Polish scientists and students have been flooding social media with calls on the government to raise research and development spending as part of 3% for Science, 100% for Poland, a campaign born earlier this month out of frustration with chronic underfunding in the academic sector. On May 27, thousands took the slogan on to the streets.The EU has been trying to convince member states to raise their R&D expenditures to 3% of GDP for more than two decades, but the idea has never gained traction in capitals. Finance ministers were too busy plugging budget holes created in the aftermath of the 2008 crisis, then the Covid pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and now the war in Iran.Critics say that countries missed or ignored the target because it is voluntary, but also because research communities have rarely raised their voice to put pressure on national governments. The European Commission hopes to make the target legally binding in the upcoming European Research Area Act, an EU-wide regulation that should be announced by the end of the year. Academia in Poland has been faced with a funding crisis for years, often leaving its members with no other choice but to work abroad in order to access better resources, or leave the sector altogether in the hope of earning a decent living. The risk, in the long-term, is that brain drain stifles local innovation capacity and technological competitiveness.In just a few weeks, the movement rallied nationwide support, including from major academic bodies and trade unions such as the Conference of Rectors of Academic Schools in Poland and the Presidium of the Polish Academy of Sciences. Its public petition collected more than 23,000 signatures. On May 27, it formed the first large protest for science in Poland, gathering thousands of people in front of the parliament building in Warsaw.Ilona Uryga-Bugajska, representative of the Marie Curie Alumni Association Poland Chapter, was there. “The protest was peaceful, with no incidents reported, and the entire event took place in a respectful and calm atmosphere,” she said. Banners she saw in the crowd carried slogans such as “A little longer and I’ll be teaching in a supermarket,” “National culture, starvation salary,” “Stop the destruction of science,” “Passion will not pay the rent,” “Without action, don’t expect a better future,” and “Pull science out of the hole.” She also observed a strong presence of young researchers, who are on the frontline of Poland’s academic crisis.“Academics are usually people who prefer discussion, analysis, dialogue and compromise. We are not a group that protests easily,” said Katarzyna Marzec, professor at the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Jagiellonian University Medical College and AGH University of Krakow, who also took part. “But many of us feel that we have been pushed against the wall.”Aleksandra Rutkowska, translational neuroscientist and research group leader at the Medical University of Gdańsk, agreed. “Frustration in the scientific community is very high,” she said. “Science is often used politically as a symbol of innovation and modernity, but the everyday reality inside many institutions is much more difficult. There is a large gap between the public narrative and the actual condition of the sector.”Maria Wiktoria Górna, head of the structural biology group at the University of Warsaw and one of the organisers of the movement, told Science|Business that the campaign would continue without proven results. This might involve another strike in the autumn, she said. “Empty promises are not enough by now.”Campaign demandsAccording to Uryga-Bugajska, the organisers officially presented their demands and concerns to representatives of the government present at the event. These included Marek Gzik, deputy minister of science and higher education, and Karolina Zioło-Pużuk, secretary of state of that same ministry.The headline demand, for the government to increase national spending on R&D to 3% of GDP by 2030, should be within Poland’s economic capacity, Rutkowska said. “The real question is whether there is genuine long-term political commitment to treating science as a strategic priority rather than a slogan.”In 2024, R&D expenditure in Poland stood at 1.41% of GDP, which is slightly above the average for central and eastern Europe, with countries such as Czechia recording 1.82%, Hungary 1.31% and Romania 0.46%. However, it falls noticeably short of the EU average of 2.24%, which just a handful of countries exceed, including Germany, Belgium and Sweden.Campaigners are also asking for fair wages for scientific staff, including PhD stipends and junior academic salaries, which are widely considered uncompetitive. Starting doctoral scholarships amount to some €843 gross per month, when the statutory minimum wage stands at €1,135. By pushing early-career researchers out of Poland, growing precarity has caused a generational gap in the academic workforce, with just 25% of lecturers aged under 40. In this context, the movement fears that scientific careers could soon be accessible to a privileged minority only.Grzegorz Spólnik is a case in point. After 15 years working in mass spectrometry at the Polish Academy of Sciences, he decided to leave partly “to earn enough money to live a normal life,” he said. “At that time, my earnings were similar to those of people working in grocery shops, and the work-life balance is something that does not exist in science, or is very hard to achieve.”Now a senior field service engineer for Polish laboratory equipment supplier Bioanalytic, he would consider going back to research, “but never in the public sector, maybe some start-up or a big private company with ambitious R&D.”The campaigners want to see more support for basic research and have called for €236 million to be added to the budget of the National Science Centre (NCN) in 2027 so that the average grant application success rate does not fall below 25%.“At the protest, there was a banner I particularly liked: ‘NCN is not a lottery.’ Unfortunately, for many researchers, it increasingly feels exactly like one,” Marzec said. “Personally, I am one of the lucky ones. I work at two of the strongest institutions in the country, where the research standards are very high. I know that in many other institutions, the situation is much worse and obtaining funding for research at an early-career stage is becoming nearly impossible.”Rutkowska also considers herself fortunate. After studying abroad and holding a postdoctoral position, she returned to Poland, where her pay was supported through an NCN-funded project linked to the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. “This also made me very aware that good research conditions in Poland often depend on external competitive funding rather than on stable support from the system itself,” she said.Long-term strategyBeyond the lack of funds for both salaries and grants, scientists believe that the issue is structural. “The biggest problem at the moment is the complete lack of a clear long-term strategy for the development of science and research from the current government,” Marzec said. “Everything ends with declarations and promises that are never truly followed by concrete actions or structural reforms.”Rutkowska agreed, citing a lack of infrastructure, continuity and long-term institutional support.“Running a research group in Poland often means functioning as an entire institution at once,” she said. “I am a principal investigator, a mentor, a recruiter, a project administrator and, when needed, still someone who returns to the lab bench to help with experiments,” she went on. “This creates a large hidden workload that takes time and energy away from actual science. At times, it feels as though scientists are no longer expecting extra help; we simply hope the system will stop creating additional obstacles that make research unnecessarily difficult.”Related articlesStrategic thinking: Germany funds joint research with Poland and FrancePoland to transfer €30M of regional funds to boost Horizon Europe participationPoland is funding fewer basic research grants as high inflation hitsIn short, “academics are expected to teach, publish papers, apply for grants and conduct high-quality research, while funding and salaries remain very limited,” said Uryga-Bugajska, who returned to her home country after 13 years in the UK.According to Marzec, another issue is the way that research institutions are evaluated. Previously, this took place every four years, with a clear differentiation between stronger and weaker institutions. “The current government, perhaps to avoid political backlash, effectively concluded that everyone is doing well, so in practice no meaningful evaluation took place,” she said.But in her view, “some form of serious assessment is necessary” to ensure the excellence and international competitiveness of Polish institutions, and to determine how to best use public resources and where institutional structures need reform. “Some institutions may need to rethink hiring practices in order to attract ambitious young researchers who are capable of obtaining competitive grants and building internationally visible research groups.” Rutkowska has already had to adapt. “When hiring PhD students, I often have to combine different funding sources creatively to make positions attractive enough for talented people to stay in science,” she said. “Many young researchers do not see a stable future in academia in Poland, and that is deeply worrying.”
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