Harry Kroto, Nobel Laureate
writes about science education in UK newspaper The Guardian. It makes blistering but gloomy reading. Excerpt:
Read the whole thing. It's really worth it for the last section where Sir Harry hits his stride and ends with:
The laissez-faire attitude to science education has resulted in a disaster exemplified by the fact that more young people are opting for media studies than physics. As a new five-storey chemistry building nears completion here at Florida State University (where I was wanted!), the jaws of American colleagues drop with incredulity at news of each successive UK science department closure.
All of this matters because the need for a general population with a satisfactory understanding of science and technology has never been greater. We live in a world economically, socially and culturally dependent on science not only functioning well, but being wisely applied.
Read the whole thing. It's really worth it for the last section where Sir Harry hits his stride and ends with:
So my final message is: "Do Panic!"Sir Harry, you're welcome on The replica Beagle any time for a cup of tea. And for a Nobel Laureate of such sound views we may stretch to a bun.
Labels: Science education
1 Comments:
I can't help quoting Prof Kroto a bit more:
"Journalists never ask scientists anything other than what the applications are of scientific breakthroughs. Interestingly, I doubt they ever ask a musician, writer or actor the same question."
"The scientific method is based on what I prefer to call the inquiring mindset. It includes all areas of human thoughtful activity that categorically eschew "belief", the enemy of rationality. This mindset is a nebulous mixture of doubt, questioning, observation, experiment and, above all, curiosity, which small children possess in spades. I would argue that it is the most important, intrinsically human quality we possess, and it is responsible for the creation of the modern, enlightened portion of the world that some of us are fortunate to inhabit."
"Scientific education is by far the best training for all walks of life, because it teaches us how to assess situations critically and react accordingly."
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