Much has been happening recently regarding science education and careers in Australia-and very little of it is good news.
This issue of WISENET Journal looks at some studies and comments on possible reasons for what's happening and the implications for society. For example:
The Federal Government has declared 1997 to be 'The Year for Youth in Science', but will anything significant come of this, or will there be a lot of studies and empty rhetoric?
The Australian Science Communicators' Internet mailing list carried quite a spirited discussion regarding science careers in January, and I attended a meeting in Adelaide where several doctoral and post doctoral physics students spoke eloquently of the lack of research opportunities in their field. Another meeting was held in Perth, and a national science careers forum is scheduled for March in Canberra. Our next issue will carry articles on what emerges from these meetings.
In the meantime, what can we as individuals do? I suggest that each of us should let our elected representatives (both state and federal) know we think science is important to the nation. Individual voters' opinions will back up the important lobbying work done by groups such as FASTS. This is more than an 'equality' issue - what use is equal opportunity to a shrinking job market? (And we know what happens when jobs in a male-dominated field are scarce!)
-Jean Hollis Weber