The good Dr. Isis is in the midst of reviewing Unscientific America and she has been striking a plaintive note:
What the balls more do you want from me Chris and Sheril? I am only one scientist! Now I have to solve scientific illiteracy too? Fuck!!!"
Commenter Odyssey isn't willing to let similarly-thinking scientists off the hook quite so quickly:
I'm not saying we are trained to do outreach. Clearly we're not. I'm just saying it's not an excuse. We all need to find an outlet or two to which we can contribute effectively. Lobbying on the Hill is one end of a multi-dimensional outreach spectrum. Spending an hour or two at an elementary/middle/high school demonstrating that science and scientists can be cool is at another.
Neither am I, but I think we are getting ahead of ourselves with all the talk about going to speak to Congress in Washington DC and even setting up elementary school programs. Because we are not even covering the basics!
This brings me to the following poll for my US readers. For this purpose, signing on to spamming efforts by your academic societies does not count. I'm talking about an email that you took the trouble to at least customize from a suggested text or, preferably, generated yourself. Also, let's only count phone conversations that get slightly more substantive than "I'm calling to recommend Critter X vote for HB 123.45".
Politics
Education
Comments
There was a Science PAC, if I remember correctly, but it was run by Vernon Ehlers, who is a Republican.
Posted by: Katharine | October 12, 2009 3:49 PM
Where's the option for "I am my congresscritter"?
Posted by: becca | October 12, 2009 3:49 PM
I don't have a congresscritter as I'm not in or from the US.
Hm, this comment thread isn't going well so far. :)
Posted by: Captain Obvious | October 13, 2009 5:35 AM
Actually CO some 60+ votes is right in there when it comes to reader responses.
Posted by: DrugMonkey | October 13, 2009 10:37 AM