Science Literacy and Our Diverse, Democratic Society
Dec. 5, 7 p.m., Jepson Alumni Center
Shirley Malcom
An eloquent advocate for improving science education in American schools and universities
 As a student in science classes, Shirley Malcom was often the only female and usually the only African American and always the only African-American woman. She studied zoology as an undergraduate and earned her doctorate in ecology from Pennsylvania State University before beginning a teaching career. Today, she heads initiatives at
the American Association for the Advancement of Science designed to better educate citizens, educators and students about science. The United States has always depended on the inventiveness of its citizens to compete in the world marketplace. In Japan, 66 percent of undergraduates go into science or engineering. In China, 59 percent do. Only 32 percent of American undergraduates study science or engineering. Moreover, the United States today grapples with widespread ignorance of science among the general public. Many citizens lack even the most basic understanding of their world. A National Science Foundation survey of scientific literacy showed that 53 percent of American adults didn’t know that the last dinosaur died before the first human arose.
Just 50 percent knew that the earth takes a year to orbit the sun. Dr. Malcom’s work addresses systemic gaps and the chasm between knowledge and ignorance. She shares
her ideas and strategies for improving science education.
Kappa Delta Pi, an education honor society, will host a coffee-and-cookies reception after this event.
« Previous | Next »
|
