We can vaccinate ourselves and our children and protect ourselves from dangerous diseases, see or send messages to our loved ones from anywhere in the world, watch spacecraft launch into space, or receive data from satellites. Almost every opportunity we have today has emerged or become clear through the development of science and technology.
Science and technology are key drivers of development, as technological and scientific revolutions underlie economic progress, the improvement of health and medical systems, education, infrastructure and virtually every field of activity. Science affects our whole life and transforms it every day.
Science-driven societies, where decisions at the personal and national level are made on the basis of scientifically proven facts, evidence and critical thinking, and not because “because it is necessary” or so historically – are more developed, economically more stable and successful in all spheres. Of course, the attitude to science determines the level of development of society and its potential.
Investing in Science and Science Education
Increasing investment in research and technology development is also one of the goals of sustainable development, so states have committed to increase public and private spending in this area by 2030.
So far, global spending on science has reached record highs of nearly $ 1.7 trillion. In all, ten countries account for about 80% of the world’s spending. In the top – the United States, China, Germany, Japan, South Korea. Guess where Ukraine is on this list.
Investing in science is not just about investing in science institutions. This is close cooperation between the state, business, scientific institutions, search and support of promising research, identification of priority areas, in particular, creating opportunities for development and training of scientists themselves.
How Science Education Shapes the Future
Education is perhaps the most important institution for shaping the future. After all, it is schools and universities that form the configuration of the consciousness of future generations. In this connection, one of its main tasks becomes mitigation of the negative consequences of the frantic pace of civilizational development, completely innovative in form, so in essence.
However, every concept, whether approach, vision, algorithm for setting tasks, needs to be appropriate for interpretation and clarification of both individual and general provisions of its practical orientation. Dynamic innovative development and economic growth based on the updated infrastructure have been carried out against the background of improving public management in science, technology and innovation. Innovations in the system of management of social development processes is a way to increase the effectiveness of public policy in general.
Many see science as something far from real life, from real problems societies face nowadays. However, our general advancement in all the spheres of our lives depends on advancement in science. There are lots of examples when scientific findings in military or space industries, which are considered to be not much related to normal lives of ordinary people, became more than useful and mundane. Here are some examples of inventions and discoveries which happened unpredictably:
Microwave. In 1945, Raytheon engineer Percy Spencer worked on a microwave emitter for the military industry. Once, he left his snack — a chocolate bar — next to the prototype of the emitter, and continued working on the systematization of waves. Shortly, he found out that his chocolate bar fully melted, while the cover wasn’t affected. He presented his findings and offered to use waves for heating food. In less than 2 years Raytheon produced the first huge microwaves which were supplied to the military in order to unfreeze big batches of food. Ordinary households were introduced to the miracle of a smaller microwave in 1955, and 7
years later, Sharp started producing those in hundreds and thousands, as the demand hit through the sky.
Cardiostimulator. American engineer Wilson Greatbatch made a mistake in 1956 and it saved hundreds of thousands of lives. He was working on a gadget that would read the heart rhythm and help analyse it. Using a wrong transistor he invented an appliance that imitated heart rhythm instead.
Sometimes people ask “Why should we invest billions of dollars into space and other science programs, like theoretical physics?” There is no one practical answer, you cannot predict what one or another investment will help to achieve, but in the end, you can be sure that some discoveries will be made. Discoveries can not be fully predicted. If you know in advance what you are going to find, it is hardly a discovery, right?
How to Enhance Science Education
First, STEM disciplines should take more part in modern curriculums. Second, the government should invest in more modern ways of studying those disciplines. Third, more girls should be encouraged to choose hard sciences starting in middle-school. Fourth, new programs encouraging STEM college graduates to teach should be introduced. There are many more steps that can be taken towards making science education more accessible.
If you are interested in science education and want to help universal technical advancement and national building, you will have to work twice as hard in college and university. One of the strategies that will help you to succeed is the ability to diversify and delegate your assignments. Not all of the tasks you face require your thorough attention, but all of them take time. Delegate some of your writing assignments to smart writers working at a professional writing service, and spend time dealing with more important STEM disciplines. Take extra online courses, attend some online and offline programs, read, watch, everything that can take you to another level, and let professional authors deal with essays. College is a game board, and one of the major rules says that you should do every move on time. To have all the deadlines under control, plan your semester in advance and order papers you can easily delegate earlier than later — this way you will save both time and money and keep abreast of the situation.