“There are no bad questions, only bad answers.”

Implicit in this well-worn expression is the purity of inquiry, the virtue of asking, and the excitement of self-initiated discovery.

The adage comes to mind as I reflect on an interesting workshop on inquiry-based learning (IBL) that convened just prior to the start of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting, held in February in Vancouver, Canada. My thanks to AAAS and to Science World British Columbia, TELUS World of Science (our ASTC-member science center in Vancouver) for organizing and hosting this workshop. (more…)

I begin this column with a confession of sorts. I am not a science fiction (SF) reader. And yet, I am intrigued by the recent commentary of renowned SF writer Neal Stephenson in World Policy Journal. Stephenson laments the loss today of the “techno-optimism” of science fiction’s Golden Age—from Tom Swift’s photo telephone, to radiotransporters and robots in the works of Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov, to James Bond’s inventive gadgetry.

Where are those sources of imaginative innovation today? Where is the counterbalance to the apocalyptic tones of so many writers (and game designers) and the scientific skepticism and innovation risk aversion emerging in the general public?

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I recently represented ASTC on the scientific advisory board of a large media group that held its annual retreat in the pristine Colorado wilderness. Gathered together were leading scientific researchers, innovators, captains of industry, technology-based investors and philanthropists, artists, and science communicators.

In a relaxed venue, this diverse group explored the science issues that are most vexing in our world today and the topics only just visible on the edges of the horizon. The group examined, as well, the constantly changing ways in which the public obtains (and retains) science information now and in the foreseeable future.
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In September, I was privileged to be among the more than 400 delegates from 56 countries who attended the 6th Science Centre World Congress (6SCWC) in Cape Town, South Africa. I want to express ASTC’s appreciation to all who organized and participated in this inspiring and highly enjoyable event. It was a learning experience for all, producing a Cape Town Declaration that commits our field to addressing global challenges through science learning.
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I recently “googled” the words “mayor,” “commission,” “task force,” and “science” and was astounded at the extensive number of socially relevant topics that are being considered by local decision makers in every corner of the globe. In nearly every instance, a body of scientific experts conveys wise counsel to policy planners. Occasionally, such initiatives include “public forums,” often composed of representatives of various special interests.

More than ever, though, our local leaders are recognizing that lasting and positive policies require not only scientific rigor and integrity, but also transparency and determined efforts to build and retain public trust—which begins with a fundamental public grasp of the science in the policies.
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