Science and Engineering Versus the Quest for a Buck

There has been a great deal of press lately about the huge lack of interest in science and engineering on the part of American college students (for an example, see Slacking Off in Science: From PhDs to R&D, the US is falling behind Europe and Asia in this month's Wired magazine). It is true. My personal take on this is that it is sheer laziness that has driven this. Math=hard. Business=easy. Science and engineering pay=$$$. MBA and lawyer pay=$$$$$. The average student view seems to be “Why should I make my brain hurt learning to do differential equations or organic chemistry when I can make a whole lot more money and not have to use nearly as much of my cranial capacity in law or business?” (and if you think I am saying that it takes less brain power to be a successful lawyer or businessman than to be a scientist or an engineer, yes, that's exactly what I am saying. If you are offended, hey, life is tough—get a helmet.) I am glad that my kids are going to a high school that produces far more than its share of scientists and engineers. And I also actually have no trouble with all of the foreign-born folks coming to the U.S. to fill science and engineering slots, as long as they stay here and become Americans. It has been immigration that has given our nation its strength and there is no reason to change that now. If only some of the science glamour shows (what science glamour shows, you ask? CSI in all of it variations) would make it a little clearer as to what kind of education it takes to do the things these folks do, it might help, but the common image of science and engineering among young folks is boring, boring, dull—and way, way too much work. I wish I had a solution, but I don't, so I am just lamenting the fact. (If I had a solution I would write a book).

Posted by trygstad | Category: Academia | 02:01 PM