Misunderstandings and willful denial about our changing climate have had real impacts on , and the consequences of our inability or unwillingness to act are real. Just last week we got news that due to rising sea levels. It can be tempting to oversimplify the problem and vilify the groups we feel are responsible, but as a new report on Perceptions of Science in America from the American ĒļæūŹÓʵ of Arts and Sciences reminds us, this stuff is complicated.
The report is the product of the American ĒļæūŹÓʵās Public Face of Science initiative. They did not collect the data themselves but pulled it together from various sources to help them, and us, understand āhow trust in science is shaped by individual experiences, beliefs, and engagement with science.ā The project description highlights the interdisciplinary teams necessary to tackle these challenges, including partnerships between scientists, communication professionals, and the arts.
Some of the results in the report are frustrating. The fact that 52% of respondents had āno responseā to the question āwhat is the very first thing that comes to mindā when you hear āscientific researchāā confounds me. I know itās been years since many of these adults were in a science classroom, but how are they unaware of the research that infuses their everyday lives, from the medicine they take, to the electricity they consume, to the well-being of the residents at their local zoos? On the bright side, it is a reminder that most people do not have pre-established perceptions of science. I wonder how students would respond to this question.