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Who Will Do Science? Implications for Science, Technology and (New) Forms of Social Inequalities
Who Will Do Science? Implications for Science, Technology and (New) Forms of Social Inequalities
Almost 20 years ago, the authors explored the ramifications for science and society of who practices (and will practice) science in the United States (U.S.).[1] Scientists determine who will practice science in the future: academic scientists act as gatekeepers in terms of the production and training of scientists (admissions, funding, training and apprenticeships); and the design, implementation, certification and evaluation of curricular content. Moreover, access to and understanding of science and technology are necessary to function in a global, knowledge-based economy. These issues are still critically important to both the scientific enterprise and society.
This paper revisits these issues and implications for science policy in the contexts of dramatic demographic changes and inequalities in access to science and technology in the US. Currently, increases in the percentages of the U.S. population comprised by historical racial/ethnic minorities are not reflected among the U.S. science and technical workforce; this reinforces and exacerbates inequalities among groups. The authors explore inequalities in science and technology by examining trends in the participation of historical racial/ethnic minorities in science and engineering higher education and the workforce over the last two decades.
[1] Pearson, Jr., W. and Alan Fechter (1994). Who Will Do Science, Educating the Next Generation. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press.