An editorial in the Otago Daily Times examines the efforts being made around New Zealand to boost the image of, and engagement in, science around New Zealand.
With the government having recognised the importance of science in the country’s future, it is encouraging to see initiatives such as the New Zealand International Science Festival, the establishment of the SMC, the appointment of Professor Sir Peter Gluckman, and a change in funding structures it adds.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“Children today take for granted the practical applications of science once considered to be the distant dreams of a “space-age” future: satellite TV, cellphones, the internet.
“Paradoxically, some of the mystery and excitement that once enshrouded “science” has been lost.
“Which is why such diverse and far-reaching celebrations as the international science fair are so important.
“They promise to help reinvigorate the scientific disciplines with a missing sense of mystique and curiosity; and to stimulate interest in fields which pose challenges to New Zealand as a nation, and to the world as a whole.”