Paul L. Hill
Science is all around us. It is in this newspaper and in the coffee you might be drinking as you read it. An avenue to understanding the world around us, it is in every single thing you see and touch every day.
Science is all around us. It is in this newspaper and in the coffee you might be drinking as you read it. An avenue to understanding the world around us, it is in every single thing you see and touch every day.
If science affects us all in such a profound way in our everyday lives, why is it not a larger part of our everyday dialogue?
When the Soviets launched Sputnik more than 50 years ago, catching the United States off guard, the resulting "space race" immediately created a sense of urgency across the country. Everyone was talking about science, research and technology, and the need to keep up.
Children dreamed of growing up to be scientists and engineers. Policymakers passed laws to increase funding for mathematics and science education. Neighbors talked about the space program over their backyard fences. In a word, science was cool.
Today, sadly, that sense of urgency has faded in our country, replaced by complacency and lack of public engagement in scientific endeavors. We all like "techie" conveniences, but have we lost the curiosity to understand them?
How do we know what we know?
In an attempt to jump-start the nation's interest and attention, the scientific community has launched an initiative called "Year of Science 2009." Hundreds of organizations across the country are joining this yearlong grass-roots effort to re-engage the public in science and improve peoples' understanding about how science works, why it matters and who scientists are.
In nearly every state, including West Virginia, participants in the celebration are demonstrating how we know about our natural world and why science continues to be so vitally important to our communities, our country and the world.
This year was selected because it marks several important milestones in the history of science - the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his "On the Origin of Species"; the 200th anniversary of the birth of President Abraham Lincoln, founder of the National Academy of Sciences; the 400th anniversary of Galileo's first use of a telescope to study the skies; and the 400th anniversary of the publication of Johannes Kepler's first two Laws of Planetary Motion.
A special Web site - yearofscience2009.org - is helping the general public learn more about science and this important yearlong national event.
Here in West Virginia, a statewide STaR (Science, Technology and Research) Symposium is planned for April to provide a forum for people involved at every level of the state's science and technology enterprise. Information about the symposium and other Year of Science 2009 initiatives in West Virginia is available online at wvresearch.org.
I invite all West Virginians to learn more about the role of science and research in our state, nation and world by visiting the Web site, by attending a Year of Science event or, even better, by initiating grass-roots science programs in their own communities. Find out how fun and accessible science can be!
The biennial statewide Science, Technology and Research (STaR) Symposium is coming up April 14-15 at the Charleston Marriott Town Center. Special keynote speaker will be Michael Shermer, founding publisher of Skeptic magazine. Join us to explore the state and national outlooks for West Virginia's STaR communities, and to share research developments, ideas and collaborations. For more information, visit www.wvresearch.org.
Hill is the vice chancellor for science and research at the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.
Science is all around us. It is in this newspaper and in the coffee you might be drinking as you read it. An avenue to understanding the world around us, it is in every single thing you see and touch every day.
If science affects us all in such a profound way in our everyday lives, why is it not a larger part of our everyday dialogue?
When the Soviets launched Sputnik more than 50 years ago, catching the United States off guard, the resulting "space race" immediately created a sense of urgency across the country. Everyone was talking about science, research and technology, and the need to keep up.
Children dreamed of growing up to be scientists and engineers. Policymakers passed laws to increase funding for mathematics and science education. Neighbors talked about the space program over their backyard fences. In a word, science was cool.
Today, sadly, that sense of urgency has faded in our country, replaced by complacency and lack of public engagement in scientific endeavors. We all like "techie" conveniences, but have we lost the curiosity to understand them?
How do we know what we know?
In an attempt to jump-start the nation's interest and attention, the scientific community has launched an initiative called "Year of Science 2009." Hundreds of organizations across the country are joining this yearlong grass-roots effort to re-engage the public in science and improve peoples' understanding about how science works, why it matters and who scientists are.
In nearly every state, including West Virginia, participants in the celebration are demonstrating how we know about our natural world and why science continues to be so vitally important to our communities, our country and the world.
This year was selected because it marks several important milestones in the history of science - the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his "On the Origin of Species"; the 200th anniversary of the birth of President Abraham Lincoln, founder of the National Academy of Sciences; the 400th anniversary of Galileo's first use of a telescope to study the skies; and the 400th anniversary of the publication of Johannes Kepler's first two Laws of Planetary Motion.
A special Web site - yearofscience2009.org - is helping the general public learn more about science and this important yearlong national event.
Here in West Virginia, a statewide STaR (Science, Technology and Research) Symposium is planned for April to provide a forum for people involved at every level of the state's science and technology enterprise. Information about the symposium and other Year of Science 2009 initiatives in West Virginia is available online at wvresearch.org.
I invite all West Virginians to learn more about the role of science and research in our state, nation and world by visiting the Web site, by attending a Year of Science event or, even better, by initiating grass-roots science programs in their own communities. Find out how fun and accessible science can be!
The biennial statewide Science, Technology and Research (STaR) Symposium is coming up April 14-15 at the Charleston Marriott Town Center. Special keynote speaker will be Michael Shermer, founding publisher of Skeptic magazine. Join us to explore the state and national outlooks for West Virginia's STaR communities, and to share research developments, ideas and collaborations. For more information, visit www.wvresearch.org.
Hill is the vice chancellor for science and research at the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.
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