Amid the advancement of science in other countries, students and the general public in the U.S. have taken a back bench which could spell doom for the future of the country. While the U.S. endeavours to produce the best workforce available in the world, it will not happen with the current stagnation in advancement of scientific skills and knowledge in the country. Several factors can be blamed on the current situation of scientific awareness and seriousness in the country. Students have adopted a culture of ignorance and not treating science with the required importance it deserves. A well-known and respectable scientist in the U.S. can hardly stand out as a role model for a student. Celebrities are today the respectable figures in the society. It leaves one wondering where the economy of tomorrow is heading taking into account the rising competition from other countries.
But scientists too have their share of blame. Poor science communication skills is also a contributing factor to the sluggishness in the advancing scientific knowledge among students and also the general public in the U.S. As much as scientists work hard in research, the fail in making their results to be appreciated by society. Scientists have the misconception that simply laying down their evidence to the public, is enough to convince a masses of the importance and how meaningful science is to them. Worse is that the scientists themselves do not appreciate the fact that their knowledge needs to be accompanied by good communication skills and there is much need for them to improve. This will further constitute to their students carrying down the same characteristics making us an even poorer scientific nation. Away from their scientific jargons, reaching out to an audience is a skill that scientists need to make great improvement on if science is set to advance in the U.S. As a scientist I have never taken any serious classes of communication skills as much as they are required. As a scientist it is my role in society to educate people of science matters. Scientists should more serious communication lessons if they are to effectively communicate to a layman effectively.
References
Akoaotearoa.ac.nz. (2014). Improving science communication skills - ako aotearoa. [online] Retrieved from: https://akoaotearoa.ac.nz/improving-science-communication-skills [Accessed: 14 Jan 2014].
Kateravilious.net. (2014). Science communication skills. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.kateravilious.net/communication-skills/ [Accessed: 14 Jan 2014].
