editorially speaking Science in the National Interest: More Thoughts The nation's current science policy is designed to expand Vannever Bush's concept of science a s the endless frontier to science a s the endless resource, a s was described on this page last month. This new policy, delineated in a document entitled Science in the National Interest is intended to deal with the change in emphasis from a war-oriented "Xgilant Society" to a peace-oriented "Humane Society", to use Rep, resentative George Brown's words. The current aim of the general national goals is not much different from what it was during the Cold War-to maintain leadership across the frontiers of scientific knowledgebut the purpose is different. Now the over-arching goal is to sustain our leadership position in the basic sciences, mathematics, and engineering. The administration's position i s t h a t only throueh sustainine this leadership will we be able to improve the conditions, capabilities, and opportunities to produce the well-trained scientists and engineers that are necessary to pursue innovative research-from which will flow the benefits that support the enduring core elements of our national interests: ~ h e s interests e include environmental responsibility and national security a s well as the health, prosperity, and quality of life of all of our citizens. From one point of view, academic research will be essentially "business a s usual", but with some subtle changes. Basic research and the sequence of development activities leading to commercializa~onwill be mori rlosely scrutinized for connections to the national goals. The current administration is prepared to stress and funhcr dcvclop thc interconnectedness among different wience disciplines and their associated technologies. The administration's interest in research has enormous implications for academe, which has become the seat of fundamental science and engineering research a s well as of advanced education. Even though fundamental research is declining in industrial settings, the national goals address the value of facultv and student oarticination in industrial R&D because learning about ihe industrial environment is oerceived to be ~otentiallvbeneficial to the students. Clearlv the academic research infrastrudure--the Deople, instrumentation, information systems, institutions, and buildines-is viewed a s a n important national resource that needs to be maintained and improved. Furthermore. a stroneer c o u ~ l i n ebetween researchers and teachers at all lev&, K throGgh the graduate program, will draw on these resources in ways that will enrich our whole educational system. If the academic research structure is a valued national resource, then the costs of improving research laboratories and upgrading instrumentation become a continuing obligation for t h e Federal government. This aspect of the national goals obviously has important implications for academe. From a human point of view, the key to achieving the national goals for science lies in the continued development of a pool of talented, well-educated scientists and engineers who are a wellspring of new ideas and innovative
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solutions to challenging problems. The American system of education directly couples post-baccalaureate (graduate) and advanced education with the unique training afforded bv research a t the intellectual frontiers. I t is exoected to continue to do so under the administration's plan:~he rich diversity of this country's human resources has not yet been fully tapped by science and technology, but it should be. I t must be. The underlying societal issues are complex, but it is abundantly clear that the poor representation of some segments of our society in science starts early in the educational process. And, because of the way in which science builds, a child who looses interest in science in the early grades is usually lost to science forever. As science educators we cannot knowingly allow this to happen. The success of the national goals for science also depends on constructively addressing these problems in early education. These are not "we-them" problems. These children are higher education's future st"dents. Academe must activelv- participate in the eduration of the tesrhers of chil. dren through in-service and pre-service programs as well a s through outreach efforts. Raising the scientific. and technolo~calliteracy of all ~ m e r i c a n sis another goal of the current science policy. Academe clearlv has a verv laree national role to ~ l a ifv we are to achieve that goal. f n the a d m i n i s t r a t i ~ n ' s ~ v ithe e, technology-based glohal economy of the next century will place a high premium on science and mathematics education, on knowledge of foreign languages and cultures, on facility with technologies, and on versatility and flexibility. The administration's agenda in this respect is expressed in Goals 2000: Educate America. a n initiative that calls for systematic reform of elementab and secondary education. Demonstrated rompetency in mathematics and science by all students leaving h ~ a d e s4, 8, and 12 is one of the key components of this initintivc. Academe must play a significant role in delining and lbrmulating the deta~lsof new tearher eduration programs. For example, the determlnants of "competenry" must he established. 'Ibachers at all lewls must bwnmc involved in careor-long professional dcvrlopmcnt, such a s working in partnership with r e scarchcrs so that thevcan brine the excitement of research and its discoveries into the classroom. If we want to capture students' interest and instill a desire to learn, they must have teachers who are excited and enthusiastic about science, who can make the subject alive and relevant, and who have sufficient training to be comfortable with and open to the questions posed by curious young minds. The nation's new science policy clearly recognizes the importance of science in today's world. With equal clarity it also focuses attention on some problem areasin our educational system. Science educators have been given a unique opportunity to help shape academe's response to our naJJL tion's goals for science. Let's not blow it.
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Volume 71
Number 12 December 1994
1001
