Last week we talked about why Kevin O’Leary doesn’t exactly make a great candidate for engineering students to take advice from. Did you read that column? Go read it now. Go.
All right, now you should be all caught up. Robert Oppenheimer who led the Manhattan Project which resulted in the creation of the atomic bomb and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, is symbolic of the danger that the pursuit of science and technology can cause if not contextualized within society.
Today, most STEM degrees are taught not only as separate from the humanities but as superior. A majority of people pursuing and holding these degrees believe themselves to be doing important work with regards to development of technology for the future. Yet we are not taught to use our degrees for positive change, nor are we given the necessary skill-sets to pursue the kind of change that the world desperately needs right now. But believe it not, throughout history and in the present there have been plenty of people using STEM for some pretty important change-the-world type things. Here are a select few that we happen to be fans of.
A name you probably recognize: Edward Snowden. Snowden is world-famous for leaking details about the National Security Agency’s (NSA) spy activities on average U.S. citizens. Snowden, who was a high-level employee of the NSA was forced to flee the country in order to avoid arrest. The leaks caused mass outrage with regards to the NSA’s activities forcing Obama to make several public addresses in an effort to justify why the U.S. government felt the need to spy on its citizens. Oh, and yeah, Snowden is also an engineer by profession.
A name you probably remember: Rosalind Franklin. Franklin is best known for determining the structure of the double helix in DNA and then having the credit for it being stolen by her co-workers who were later awarded the Nobel Prize for her discovery. Franklin, despite doing most of the work that lead to the discovery was not recognized. It’s important to note that Franklin faced discrimination throughout her career for her role as a woman trying to work and research in fields dominated by men. Ultimately she lost out on recognition for her greatest accomplishment because she was a woman.
A name you should know: Rachel Carson. Carson was a marine biologist who wrote a book detailing the effects of uncontrolled pesticide usage on human health and the environment. The book resulted in massive public outcry and the eventual founding of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as well as laws regulating the usage of pesticides. Despite the strong scientific evidence presented in her book Carson was ridiculed by media and government officials alike and significant effort was made to discredit both her and her research. Still, her resolution to present her research honestly despite its political implications for the people in power was an important step for the environmental movement as a whole.
Today the echo of Carson’s legacy can be seen as more and more scientists take up the political struggle to force governments to take action on climate change. The most famous amongst them is NASA scientist James Hansen who has actively spoken out against both the further development of the Canadian oil sands as well as the building of the Keystone XL pipeline. While public and government opinion on climate change seems to be undecided and subject to change on a regular basis, the scientific opinion is clear and has been for quite some time. Climate change is happening and we need to start taking serious steps to prevent significant adverse effects. These steps include preventing the further development of the Canadian oil sands. Meanwhile at Waterloo, we continue to encourage engineering students to take co-op opportunities in this industry – co-ops which may turn into full-time jobs.
Science and politics intersect. Throughout history they have been intertwined and have complemented each other. Political decisions should be based on scientific evidence and scientific development needs to be weighed against its political implications. Unfortunately we are constantly pushed in a direction that aims to separate the two. STEM is presented as apolitical and neutral, as having no political assignations. History and common sense tell us otherwise.
Leave a Reply