In a brief essay describing renewed efforts to raise the profile of science in the national discourse, Time magazine writer Michael Lemonick offers the following (see the original for links):
What I’m talking about is the growing drumbeat of amply justified fear that America is fast losing its edge over the rest of the world in science and technology–something I wrote about in this TIME cover story.
Figuring out why, and what to do about it, has become a cottage industry. So when I was asked to come to a two-day meeting sponsored by the Aspen Science Center, I was kind of dubious. Even though the organizers had put together a guest list so prestigious that I felt like an important-person impersonator, I was pretty sure the result would be a list of platitudes and noble-sounding but impotent suggestions–some sort of feel-good document that wouldn’t accomplish much.
I think I was wrong. On the second day of the conference, the proceedings were basically hijacked by two participants: Esther Dyson, former journalist and current high-tech venture capitalist, and Adam Bly, founder of Seed Magazine, the associated (and terrific) ScienceBlogs website and plenty of other science-communications ventures you’re likely to hear about. (Emphasis Added)
Take that Larry Moran!