Playing Catch-up- Missouri vs. Kansas

The director of the Life Sciences and Society Program at the University of Missouri-Columbia laments the problems that scientists confront in getting scientific messages across to the public. To illustrate his point, he told about his talk at a recent orientation session for visiting freshmen legislators where he mentioned, as an example of attempts to do scientific outreach and public education, that the program would be co-sponsoring events to commemorate Darwin's birthday and the 150th anniversary of his Origin of Species. Later, he learned that a couple of the legislators were offended that Darwin would be honored and expressed irritation. The director opined that scientists have a long way to go in furthering public awareness of science.

Staff and faculty of state universities must be careful not to alienate legislators from the Religious Right whose fundamentalist beliefs place them in opposition to science, because the universities depend on the legislature for appropriations. Perhaps, the scientists at the University of Missouri-Columbia and other state institutions of higher education could use the assistance of an independent citizen’s group to further public awareness of science. Such organizations exist in at least sixteen other states, including neighboring Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska. Creating an organization to promote science education both in out-state Missouri and metropolitan St. Louis and Kansas City would help provide public support for science-based economic initiatives.

The importance of public understanding and support for scientific endeavors is emphasized by a report in this morning’s KC Star that, “The University of Missouri wants to establish laboratories and expand ties with bioscience and alternative energy companies at a new 500-acre research park proposed in Blue Springs”. The Blue Springs Economic Development Corp. proposes $50 million to $70 million for land and infrastructure along I-70 and has reached out to university and area civic leaders to generate support. Bio-science is a top regional priority for generating high-growth, high-paying jobs. The Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute sees the Blue Springs project as a major way for Missouri to keep pace with the recent bio-science momentum in Kansas.