From the American Chemical Society, a call for science superheros. I suppose this means the Goreacle is not in the running.
Remedies for science’s shortage of superheroes
DENVER, Aug. 28, 2011 — One of the most serious personnel shortages in the global science and engineering workforce — numbering more than 20 million in the United States alone — involves a scarcity of real-life versions of Superman, Superwoman and other superheroes and superheroines with charm, charisma, people skills and communication skills.
That’s the premise behind an unusual symposium occurring here today at the 242nd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world largest scientific society. Entitled “Empowering Tomorrow’s Science Super Heroes,” it opens a discussion on how to give scientists a touch of the panache of the stock comic book and Hollywood characters who worked for the public good.
“We are seeking ways to equip scientists to better communicate and connect with the rest of society,” said Donna J. Nelson, Ph.D., an organizer of the session. It is among events at the meeting, which includes more than 7,500 scientific presentations, initiated by Nancy B. Jackson, Ph.D., ACS president. “The well-equipped superhero and superheroine has the communications skills to explain their work and the wonder and importance of science in an understandable way,” Nelson explained. “They have an awareness of public policy, how science connects with societal issues and even the ability to use a bit of humor.”
Nelson, who is with the University of Oklahoma and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), said those skills add up to super-hero-level leaders who can inspire students, build public support for science and engage in key public policy decisions. Three of her models for science superheroes are the late Richard E. Smaley, Ph.D.; Harold Kroto, Ph.D.; and Robert F. Curl, Ph.D., who shared the 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. “All three have been great organizers and leaders with superb social skills and just the kind of people to get kids interested in a career in science,” Nelson said.
Nelson also praised the Ig Nobel Prize, a parody of the Nobel Prizes, presented each year just before the real Nobels, but for 10 unusual or trivial “achievements” in scientific research. The self- proclaimed aim of the prizes is to “first make people laugh, and then make them think.”
In addition to a presentation on the Ig Nobel Prize, the superheroes event will include speakers from NOVA’s public scientific information outreach, science cafes, science festivals and other projects that accomplish the superhero mission.
Presentations in the superheroes symposium with summaries of the presentations include:
- Science outreach: Demonstrating the value of science. Jennifer Larese, NOVA Outreach Coordinator. As individuals, people learn in slightly different manners and at different rates of speed. As informal science educators, scientists have a unique opportunity to use a variety of formats, experiences and media to engage and excite their audiences. Today there are countless new electronic media tools being created, almost daily. This presentation will briefly cover science outreach as a transmedia opportunity to connect with the public.
- Infusing moving media into instruction. Janet English, Instructor, El Toro High School, Mission Viejo, Calif. The main job for movie and TV superheroes is to save the world, and this is why many consider scientists superheroes. There are numerous ways that chemists and other scientists can affect children’s learning and help promote a love of science. The media also can play a pivotal role in students’ learning, and teachers can discuss how the media is used (or not used) in a thought-provoking way in the classroom. Scientists also can contribute to improving the mass media and how they can be role models for children.
- Creative engagement at science cafes. John Cohen., M.D., University of Colorado School of Medicine, Department of Immunology, Denver. A Café Scientifique brings a scientist to talk directly with the public in pleasant relaxed surroundings. PowerPoint is banned to encourage dialog, rather than a lecture. There is no moderator, so the conversation finds its correct level without imposed dumbing-down. Speakers frequently say that talking at the Café Sci was one of the best experiences of their career. So do audiences and organizers.
- Here come the Science Festivals! Kishore Hari, Director, Bay Area Science Festival. There are many ways that science festivals are raising awareness about a tremendous grassroots movement to celebrate and elevate science. Science festivals hope to rally whole communities to celebrate science as alive and local. Festivals aim to inspire youth to consider science studies and careers, and adults to cultivate a life-long interest in science and technology.
- The Ig Nobel Prize: Never dull, never boring awards in chemistry. Marc Abrahams, Editor, Annals of Improbable Research. The Ig Nobel Prizes honor achievements that first make people laugh, then make them think. Every year since 1991, 10 new prizes have been awarded in chemistry, physics and other fields. The winners journey to Harvard University for the gala ceremony in which genuine Nobel laureates shake their hands and hand them their prizes. The “Igs” have spawned live shows worldwide and video features. They celebrate the unusual, honor the imaginative — and spur people’s interest in science, medicine and technology.
The American Chemical Society is a non-profit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 163,000 members, ACS is the world’s largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.
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I think Josh’s take on Joe Romm as Super Chicken is a good start. Just put a “S” in a crest on him and you’re done.
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What the public wants, and what the ACS probably has in mind, are not scientists, but rather celebrities who talk science. I have been to public presentations of people like Feynman, and what made them so interesting is that they were attended by well educated people who would almost interact with the speaker. In other words the entertainment was partly contributed by the audience. What I recall of Feynman is that he was difficult to understand unless one was prepared. Try to produce that with high-school students or with the general public and you’ll soon realize why they are actually hoping for celebrities here.
The whole idea of scientists/engineers as superheroes reminds me of the repairs to Hubble. Everyone credits the astronauts, who in fact did nothing more than just attach a fix that was conceived, designed, and built by engineers at Ball Aerospace, and which just happened to fit and work perfectly on the first try.
Who would the general public rather see and listen to?
What they want are PR flacks who are “super” at getting grants and baffling people into going along with their little plans. Anything that needs the kind of “super hero” these bozos are talking about should *not* be a decision made by government.
Well, NASA is getting into the act, they’re now going to ensure that the ‘science’ in Science Fiction is correct. No joke.
http://www.wired.com/underwire/2011/08/nasa-sci-fi-literature/
NASA Gets Into Sci-Fi Literature Game
By Angela Watercutter Email Author – August 23, 2011 6:12 pm
Former astronaut and NASA associate administrator for education Leland Melvin reads to students in Washington, D.C., in February.
Photo: Carla Cioffi/NASA
Many a science nerd has been born while reading science-fiction novels. As a way to hook those kids early, NASA has partnered with a book publisher to develop sci-fi–themed books.
The line of books, which the space agency is calling “NASA Inspired Works of Fiction,” will be created with Tor-Forge Books. Through the partnership, NASA will pair its space geeks with the publisher’s writers to create books intended to spark interest in engineering, mathematics, technology and science.
“This agreement will benefit the public, as we look for innovative ways to communicate our past and current achievements, while focusing on the needs of the future,” Nona Cheeks, the director of Innovative Partnerships at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, said in a statement. (short article continued online)
:::::::::::::::
http://reason.com/blog/2011/08/26/nasa-wants-your-science-fictio
NASA Wants Your Science Fiction to Have More Science, Taxpayer Dollars In It
Katherine Mangu-Ward | August 26, 2011
amazing!This new collaboration between NASA and a science fiction publisher sounds pretty awesome, but it’s also more evidence that NASA is a ($19 billion) solution in search of a problem:
NASA will allow existing and new Tor/Forge authors to team up with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s (GSFC) Subject Matter Experts (SME) to create scientifically accurate and entertaining novels in a distinctly unique way.
The project is supposed to get kids excited about real science—as opposed to getting kids excited about science and then having them get all sad when they discover that warp drives are made up.
Taxpayers are footing the bill for this little (and to be fair, it is very, very little) boondoggle, which is mildly annoying but certainly not worth getting your jumpsuit in a twist about in teh grand scheme. But then the press release had to go and claim that the benificiaries aren’t some very deserving science fiction authors, but taxpayers…and The Children.
“Ultimately this agreement will benefit taxpayers as we look for innovative ways to train students for the science challenges of the future,” said Nona Cheeks, Chief of GSFC’s IPP Office, which is managing the project’s implementation.
Ah well.
Reason wrote about Tor was a hotbed of libertarians in 2008.
Also, Heinlein!
~~~~~~~~
There’s a reason why I threw all those invitations to join the ACS into the recycle bin.
re: # Don Horne says: August 28, 2011 at 2:39 pm & Dan Lee says: August 28, 2011 at 2:39 pm
For whatever it’s worth, my father who is a published well respected scientist/engineer and is in his 80’s now, believes that science fields in general were dealt a very harsh blow because of the Vietnam war. That prior to Vietnam, you pretty much just didn’t go into science fields let along get upper level science degrees unless you LOVED SCIENCE – loved the scientific method and how it is such an elegant tool to limit human error thus drastically speeding innovation, learning, advancement. Typically you not only loved science, but you loved the particular branch of science that you chose, and had an intense interest in maintaining it’s integrity, in research, and not so much the persuit of $$$. Otherwise, who would bother to go thru the years of college for careers that, at the time, really didn’t pay all that much compared to all those years in college.
With Vietnam, however, a very large number of people wound up using educational deferments to avoid military service. And so many who didn’t care much about science, were even activists of various sorts (anti-establishment, anti-rules), wound up with their careers and livlihood tied up in a field that they didn’t respect and may even have disliked – but they had to pick something if they were going to manage to stay in school and avoid the military. They didn’t particularly care about maintaining the integrity of the scientific method – may even have seen the rules and rigor required in a rather negative light. As these people got older they’ve wound up in positions of authority by dint of numbers (or possibly even because they were less interested in the science/research aspects and more in the $$ and/or power of management positions). Those who stayed in academia then continue to pass the attitude or lack of rigor down to their students.
It’s an interesting concept.
re: R. Shearer says: August 28, 2011 at 3:01 pm
Any idea what the ACS used as justification for their AGW position?
I recall reading that one august body basically deferred to the IPCC, just as the US EPA did… I wish I could recall which academy or society it was and determine if that’s really true or not (maybe NAS? Thanks in advance to anyone who can fill me in on this one). Regardless, it would be interesting to know (& create an online list!) exactly what the various bodies used as justification – and how many actually reviewed the science, including the ‘skeptical’ side of things.
Anyone who has read the hilarious writings of Charles Fort knows that scientists in general are self-important clowns. Their arrogance, egotism, and devotion to wind-bagging make them laughingly predictable on almost every issue. A hundred years hasn’t advanced the group an iota. I grew up around and among scientists, and found them even worse than religious fanatics.
The few heroes of science have never been the orthodox, but the unorthodox; for all the others basking in their glory, there is no hope.
re: Gary Pearse says: August 28, 2011 at 3:31 pm
Gary, what was this one about? Have any links?
[snip way off topic – Anthony]
world savers again, is it?
why to i get the impression they just want to prance about in tights?
I suspect the ACS has totally missed the point.
Science and Engineering doesn’t need super heroes & heroines.
We need Science educated journalists.
We need science aware editors who will give space to science & engineering (preferably replacing that dumb down ‘celebrity’ gossip that passes for news)
We need an education system that makes sure liberal arts people get enough of an education to realise they don’t need to be frightened of science; and it is ok to use it with out needing to be rubbish it.
We need politicians to stop trying to make out science is something mysterious and beyond normal ken (just because no one bothered to teach them science).
In short the problem is the same massive failure of society that allows the CAGW scam to persist more than a pico-second.
Dena says:
August 28, 2011 at 4:14 pm
“What you suggest is good advice for somebody who already understands the education system but I suspect many students don’t unless they have somebody to help them.”
You are correct. It is very sad. Kudos to you for finding computer programming. You might check out one of the for-profit schools. Their degrees are becoming more acceptable and in your particular situation the sheep skin is exactly what is needed. I do not mean to make a blanket endorsement of those schools, but they can be very flexible.
The number of people who suffer from poor guidance as teenagers is huge. There are people from academic families who attain a degree from an elite university and then discover that they hate – hate – what they are doing.
What are they talking about?!!! They already have Bill Nye and myself — and one of us has a Master’s Degree…. in Science!
Incidentally, I was a member of ACS. Pretty useless aside from excellent journals.
polistra says:
August 28, 2011 at 4:27 pm
Yes, you are right on the money. Thanks for mentioning more names. They are important scientists.
Smokey-Good points-and thank you….
The ACS ins wanting Political science not real science.
real science should challenge the status quo…
Rational Debate says:
August 28, 2011 at 6:06 pm
Yes, some of this happened. Also, the universities expanded far too rapidly and, consequently, the quality dropped. And many other things compounded these fundamental problems.
American universities have far too many graduate departments in all areas. Many graduates cannot find positions that are lucrative and many cannot be employed in science. Lots of graduate programs need to be chopped. But if, just if, huge investments in climate research came along…
You know the rest of the story.
re: Smokey says: August 28, 2011 at 6:25 pm
Hey Smokster,
Yes, I wasn’t trying to imply that all went into science, but far too many did – they had to pick something, anything, to stay in college which also all too often meant going on to grad school. Deferrment was available for any college field, both undergrad and grad school. I’d never looked before, and just took a quick skim of the first paper I hit, but apparently this phenomen has even been studied (link below). It’s interesting to me that you feel the same about this as my Dad, who’s opinion I very much respect. I’ve run across others who do also, and so I tend to give it a fair bit of credence (not having personally experienced it myself so as to form an opinion that way).
It’s a blasted shame what this has done to education.
At the time I became pretty well versed iwith the SwiftBoat Kerry info. Honestly hadn’t realized Gore was another faker, but I’m not surprised. It seems that those who really deserve the approbation are the ones who stay silent about what they’ve done, unlike ‘ol Showboat.
Smokey, how the heck do you manage all those links you come up with?? You sure find some good ones (both serious and humorous), and have given me a grin a number of times.
Ack! Here’s the link: http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:wxmvtEs8VJcJ:www.econ.ubc.ca/lemieux/papers/unintended.pdf+vietnam+war+draft+deferral+for+college&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESjePGk-9pUXE49vXaiYqTkf5tOPh9fnQ2daa9gXLg_l7VWSAWfQyNg8iwjpd1-EOnEYhFMb9aoegkiaTZBZJXEIJ2UDV9n7ADnFzLPq99v9CyXd7VAM7v03Lu-O1Z-YEpbzSflK&sig=AHIEtbQovULAgDpdq-m2Ze4SO6DuCtSe1A
JPL researchers…when the sea level rises, it’s “GLOBAL WARMING”. When the sea level drops, it’s caused by excessive rainfall on continents. Brilliant! Is this the best our current crop of scientists can do? Perhaps the jobs are so hard to fill, that institutions are taking used car salespeople.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/weather-cycles-cause-a-drop-in-global-sea-level-scientists-find/2011/08/25/gIQA6IeaeJ_story.html
Sigh….when engineering salaries = doctors….I will believe there is a shortage. Until then…show me the money. Supply and demand ladies and gentlemen.
….. NO… The left always want super heros. Super individuals we can all cling to. The cult of the celebrity….. I want none of that. I want an open atmosphere of enquiry for which the timid and exceptional can thrive….. In which breakthroughs are a matter of course and ideas constantly abound…… Bugger the celebrity cult, lets reduce government funding and put the whole subject of scientific enquiry back into the hands of the competent and out of the hands of the political.
Quite honestly, it doesn’t require a PhD to be a super-hero of science!
I’d like to nominate none other than Mr. Anthony Watts. His untiring work on this award-winning blog, which gathers obscure but real heroes including Prof. Leif Svalgaard, Willis Eschenbach and others, is inspiring and educational. It’s an amazing effort, and Anthony pushes science unerringly towards a higher standard.
His motto is truly “truth, justice and the American way!”
@Smokey says:
August 28, 2011 at 6:25 pm
Thanks for your service, guys that survived the tunnels of cu chi and the NVA, Che, Mao were my instructors. All is not lost. Thanks for injecting some humor into otherwise dearth conversations by the way, jokes and pranks still reign supreme as stress relievers.
Science isn’t really done alone any more. Also, many people who in the past labored in anonymity now won’t stand for that. And with the Internet and other publication possibilities they don’t have to. The big guy doesn’t have a stranglehold on the organs of publicity any more.