The Royal Society Makes a Plea for Support for UK Physics, Chemistry and Maths. (August 18, 2006)

    The Royal Society continuing its practice under its current president of telling it like it is, says that to turn around the long term declines in A-level chemistry, physics and maths in the UK in order for the British Government to meet its ambitions of raising the numbers of students studying these subjects will require "a Herculean effort".

President of the Royal Society, Martin Rees

    Martin Rees, President of the Royal Society says, "A Herculean effort is needed if the Government is to achieve its ambitions of encouraging more students to study chemistry, physics and maths at A-level.  And, at stake, is our next generation of highly skilled scientists, technologists, engineers and, crucially, teachers.

"Knowledgeable and enthused teachers are key to conveying the exciting challenges and dynamism of science to students and thereby inspiring them to carrying on their studies to A-level and beyond. Some very welcome efforts are being made in this area. The Government should consider the need for a national strategy to ensure that all of our secondary schools have a specialist teacher in each of the main school sciences. We also need more support for non-specialists who are teaching maths."

 A month ago Australia's Federal Minister for Education Science and Training, Julie Bishop, released the official audit of Australia's scientific, engineering and technology skills. During its tenure in office the Coalition Government under the Prime Ministership of John Howard has under-resourced the maintenance and development of "Science, Engineering and Technology Skills" to the point that the audit by its department of education, science and training warns in its final report that Australia is likely to suffer a short-fall of as much as 35% in its estimated requirement of 55,000 additional scientific professionals -- that is of meeting its projected need for an extra 55,000 scientific professionals within six years. That comes to a shortage of just over 19,000 individuals.

So far the Australian Academy of Science has released no public statement concerning the impending crisis while Ms Bishop in her address to the National Press Club last week extolled her government's current efforts which, when examined critically, are little more than nibbling at the edges of a metastasising cancer. And nothing the minister has said during her tenure suggests that the government intends any serious changes in its approach.

On the other hand the Australian Academy of Technological Science and Engineering (ATSE) in noting the audit, said on July 20 that Australia's threatened shortfall in science, engineering and technology professionals could choke Australia’s competitive position in world markets.

ATSE Chief Executive John Dodgson said "The situation is becoming desperate, particularly in engineering education, and has the potential to choke our economy.

"Australia’s comparatively low spending on science and engineering education and industry-based R&D threaten the nation’s ability to achieve a sustainable, internationally competitive position in world markets.

“We applaud the Government for the initiative and the commitment of a further $18 Million to fund a further 50 research places within CSIRO, but the solution does not rest solely with government.

“Industry and educators must recognise this looming crisis and move now to take the necessary steps to attract and fund more young Australians into science, engineering and technology careers."

But the ATSE stopped short of indicating just how and what the various responsible parties ought to be doing and is reluctant to call the Federal government to account.

[Note: The journal Science reports that "Bernard Gordon, an electrical engineer and founder of Analogic Corp., citing last month's collapse of concrete panels in the recently completed US$15 billion Boston tunnel project as a sign that the United States was losing its engineering prowess. To stem the decline, Gordon last week gifted US$40 (A$52.6) million to support engineering education and research at Boston's Museum of Science and Northeastern University."]

When and if an Australian government comes to fully and proactively understand what is required to produce knowledgeable and enthused teachers -- the key to conveying the exciting challenges and dynamism of science -- will the problem "of meeting its projected need for an extra 55,000 scientific professionals within six years" even begin to be addressed.