March 26 isn’t just another Wednesday—it’s a day to tip your hat to science. Governor Armstrong proclaimed it; North Dakota is joining a growing list of states recognizing National Science Appreciation Day. From vaccines to clean water, the tools and discoveries that shape modern life often go unnoticed. The date marks the anniversary of the polio vaccine announcement, and this year, North Dakota is officially part of the celebration.
STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA PROCLOMATION
Science Appreciation Day
March 26, 2025
WHEREAS, on March 26, 1953, American medical scientist, Dr. Jonas Salk, announced he had developed a vaccine against polio; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates the polio vaccine has prevented 20 million cases of paralysis and saved 1.5 million lives worldwide since 1988; and
WHEREAS, science has brought humanity vaccines, antibiotics, surgery, sanitation, increased agricultural yields, pasteurization, safe drinking water and thousands of other interventions that have doubled the human lifespan in little more than a century; and
WHEREAS, people have experienced longer and healthier lives, greater convenience and comfort and enhanced prosperity due to the benefits of science; and
WHEREAS, North Dakotans are encouraged to show their appreciation for workers in the fields of research, technology, science education and medicine, and to reflect on and share how scientific advances have bettered their lives and those of their loved ones.
NOW, THEREFORE, as Governor of the State of North Dakota, I do hereby proclaim
March 26, 2025, SCIENCE APPRECIATION DAY in the State of North Dakota.
