Scientific Literacy: Drafting Plans

Earlier this week I addressed my disgust over the rates of scientific literacy around the world as well as here in the United States. They are appalling low, so much so that I'm stirred to action.

My first small scale idea: starting a program/club at Duke University, where I currently attend, to advocate scientific literacy. The club would sponsor talks directed at the layman. Know of anyone particularly good at explaining complex topics in simple and enlightening terms? Also, we are committed to inspiring the generations to come to find science both exciting and inspiring. Enter Durham public schools. Oh, the moldable masses.

Steps:

1. Club formation
2. Mission statement
3. Fund raising
   
4. Advocacy
5. Work the media

Let me know if I missed anything or if you have any lovely suggestions.

Scientific Literacy

I'm becoming a strong advocate of scientific literacy for all Americans. The problem is much more serious than I had thought. The theories that describe the inner workings of the world fascinate me but the majority of the population has disconnected from a scientifically accurate world view. Referred through More Coffee, Please, I found a New York Times article that shares some shocking statistics (from the Center for Biomedical Communications at Northwestern University Medical School):

"American adults in general do not understand what molecules are (other than that they are really small). Fewer than a third can identify DNA as a key to heredity. Only about 10 percent know what radiation is. One adult American in five thinks the Sun revolves around the Earth, an idea science had abandoned by the 17th century" (Cornelia Dean, Scientific Savvy?).

This is appalling, not only from a scientist's perspective, but also from a citizen's. Technological advances and scientific theories are ever entering into the political domain: climate change, evolution, stem cell research. From the previous statistics it appears that an American's education is largely inadequate for responsible citizenship on scientific issues.

Perhaps less important, but equally pressing: the re-emergence of magical thinking. We all succumb to it in one way or another. (Don't say you've never crossed your fingers before hoping for better luck.) The foreseeable problem occurs when an individual sees a piece of technology and accepts a magical explanation for its properties just as well as a scientific one. I am worried that a remote control might just as well work by telepathically communicating button presses to a television instead of using infrared light pulses. And from the above statistic, only one in ten people might know of the radiated infrared light from their remote control.

Tomorrow's work: a plan of action.