A couple of weeks ago, a leaked internal memo from NASA revealed that the agency is suspending
its education and public outreach programs in response to the sequester. The effects of this decision are
devastating. NASA is one of the most
publicly recognized science and research agencies in the U.S. The agency’s astronauts, missions,
awe-inspiring images and discoveries have motivated many of us to pursue
careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). NASA was able to accomplish this mainly
because of its educational and public outreach programs, which are now in
jeopardy.
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| NASA logo (Wikicommons). |
This memo advises the suspension of all
“public engagement and outreach
events, programs, activities, and products developed and implemented by Headquarters, Mission Directorates,
and Centers across the agency.” That
means that the programs that bring astronauts like Joseph Acaba and Sunita Williams to classrooms full of excited kids; or
4-million-year-old pieces of lunar rock to a museum near you will come to a
screeching halt. It also means that the workshops training teachers to help them bring
the science of Mars exploration to their classrooms will be left hanging.
NASA’s decision to suspend its education and
public outreach programs is questionable.
However, what is most concerning about this move is what it could mean
for the future of science in the United States.
What if these cuts become blueprint for
future budget cuts? What if other
agencies follow suit?
Education and public outreach programs
are vital to the most important partnership in modern American society: the
public funding of science. Thanks to
these programs, agencies that receive taxpayer money to fund their research
endeavors—such as NASA— can have a conversation with the public, to keep them
informed about their latest discoveries,
their importance, benefits and possible consequences. By promoting awareness and understanding of
science, education and public outreach programs help the public make informed
decisions about health, technology, the environment and public policy.
The endangerment of science education
and public outreach programs by the sequester jeopardizes our nation’s
leadership in science, technology and innovation in several ways. The
suspension of education and public outreach activities deprives our future generations of
programs that spark their curiosity, encouraging them to innovate and dream
big. The scientists and engineers that could have been, may never get to
be, because the programs designed to get them interested in science are under
serious threat.
Our economy will also suffer. It is projected that by 2050 the job market for careers in science and technology is
likely to be in high demand. Many of these
jobs are in the top earning quartile.
How are we supposed to train the scientists and engineers that will
sustain the economy, if we don’t have the programs to engage them with science
in the first place?
Cuts to America’s education and public outreach
programs not only jeopardize the training of future generations of STEM
professionals, but the educational success of our youth. Science education and public outreach
programs foster the development of critical thinking, problem solving and math skills. These skills are crucial for educational and
professional success, whether you become a scientist or not.
Undoubtedly, the
suspension of education and public outreach programs will save NASA money: approximately $130 million, less than 1% of the NASA’s $17.8 billion budget. But… at
what cost?
The opinions expressed here are those of the authors and do not reflect an official position of the institutions and organizations I am affiliated with.
