McClintock Letters

Improving communication between scientists and the public is crucial for rebuilding trust and addressing misinformation. We're inviting scientists to share their stories with their local hometown paper through the McClintock Letters Initiative — a national op-ed writing campaign. If you have any questions, please contact Emma or Izzi.

Action Items

Barbara McClintock in her lab, 1947

Barbara McClintock (1902–1992), shown in her lab at Cold Spring Harbor, was the first American woman to win an unshared Nobel Prize in science. She spoke about the obstacles she faced as a woman in science and credited her unique perspective as key to discoveries that revolutionized genetics, leading to breakthroughs from crop breeding to gene therapy. A champion of basic research and an advocate for the founding of the NSF, her legacy and the values she embodied are under threat today, making her a powerful symbol for this effort. Image courtesy of the Smithsonian Archives.

Published Letters

Map of the US showing where McClintock Letters have been published as of 2025-07-26.

Check out a list of published letters as of July 26, 2025!

Press Mentions