DOI restricts scientists attending scientific conferences

The Department of the Interior (DOI) and its agencies, specifically the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), have restricted federal scientists from attending scientific conferences. In May 2018, the BLM prevented at least 14 archaeologists from attending the Society for American Archaeology conference, causing the cancellation of a symposium. In December 2017, the DOI capped USGS attendance at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) meeting to 199 scientists, resulting in a 60% decrease in attendance compared to 2016 and the withdrawal of 30 presentation abstracts. The USGS has also implemented a review process for presentation titles to ensure projects align with political priorities. The document notes similar restrictive patterns at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

• The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) restricted at least 14 archaeologists from attending the Society for American Archaeology conference in May 2018, which led to the cancellation of the symposium "Tough Issues in Land Management Archaeology".
• A December 2017 DOI policy capped the number of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists attending the American Geophysical Union (AGU) annual meeting at 199, causing a 60% drop in attendance from 450 scientists in 2016 to 178 in 2017.
• The USGS has introduced a requirement for scientists to submit an "attendee justification" form for the 2018 AGU meeting, with guidelines stating that presentation titles will be reviewed to see if the project aligns with the department's political priorities.
• The restriction of USGS scientists from the AGU conference resulted in the withdrawal of 30 abstracts for oral or poster presentations.
• Beyond the DOI, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have also implemented policies barring scientists from attending important conferences in their fields.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2018). DOI restricts scientists attending scientific conferences. https://www.ucs.org/resources/attacks-on-science/doi-restricts-scientists-attending-scientific-conferences

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. DOI restricts scientists attending scientific conferences. 2018. https://www.ucs.org/resources/attacks-on-science/doi-restricts-scientists-attending-scientific-conferences.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=DOI restricts scientists attending scientific conferences |date=10 July 2018 |url=https://www.ucs.org/resources/attacks-on-science/doi-restricts-scientists-attending-scientific-conferences |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2018doi, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{DOI restricts scientists attending scientific conferences}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2018}, month = jul, url = {https://www.ucs.org/resources/attacks-on-science/doi-restricts-scientists-attending-scientific-conferences}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }