Making a plea for greater science understanding

By David Brand

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- An impassioned plea for greater public understanding of science and technology and a greater effort by scientists to communicate that knowledge was made last week by Yervant Terzian, chair of Cornell's astronomy department and the James A. Weeks Professor of Physical Sciences.

Speaking at the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting here, Terzian said, "It is the task of the scientist and society at large to provide public understanding of the sciences, even if we all have to go back to night school."

As the world becomes more complex "the threat to rational inquiry becomes even more real," he warned. And yet, he said, "science is being avoided by students, and what remains is watered down."

Terzian was speaking on "Public Outreach and Scientific Research" during a session on "Adding Public Outreach to Research Agendas," organized by Bruce V. Lewenstein, Cornell associate professor of science communication.

There is a need, said Terzian, to change the version of science, often influenced by pseudo-science such as telekenesis, that many parents pass to their children in elementary and secondary school.

"We need citizens and jurors in the judicial system capable of rendering verdicts on science and technology. We need policy officials who can fully understand the consequences of their decisions through scientific investigations. People should learn to use scientific critical thinking as a mode of asking questions, forming hypotheses and arriving at conclusions," he said.

He provided what he called his "Ten Commandments" for improving science and technology education and understanding, leading with devoting more time and funds to science education. At the same time, he said, "we scientists should be involved in improving the scientific literacy of the public." Scientists, he noted, should also promote the usefulness and benevolence of science.

At the primary and secondary education level, he said, "we need qualified and well-paid science teachers, which we do not have."

Also, he said, ways must be sought for colleges and universities to work more closely with schools.

Terzian also warned that sciences must not be divorced from the humanities, but "we should be combining all human knowledge and aspirations and not just subtracting and dividing."

Finally, Terzian added, with some humor, "we must encourage high schools to introduce the teaching of astronomy. It's my personal bias."