U.S. Rep. Vernon J. Ehlers discussed the need to increase science in education in a lecture at the University of Wisconsin Friday.
Ehlers said he realized the importance of science in politics after taking charge of the House, Senate and Library of Congress computer system.
“It is a unique experience,” he said. “We had no science policy after the Second World War.”
Ehlers says he thinks science has evolved during the past 50 years and the science policies in the United States are outdated.
“The American public does not fully understand science or its practice, which causes all types of problems in the society,” Ehlers explained.
He said 95 percent of fresh graduates from Harvard and UCLA cannot explain the reasons for which there are seasonal changes in the world.
“This is why we have to improve science education from pre-school to graduate school,” Ehlers says. “I am glad that Wisconsin is doing that.”
In recent years, the United States has experienced funding problems in education. According to National Academies of Science and Engineering indicators, only one-fifth of the national Gross Domestic Product is spent on the nation’s non-defense government research and development. This is lower than in Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom.
Apart from that, Ehlers pointed out that there are other problems in promoting science education. According to Ehlers, there are approximately 200,000 open positions for scientists, engineers and technicians.
“However, we do not have enough skilled [laborers],” he said.
Moreover, the number of engineering undergraduates decreased since 1982, showing a lack of science professionals in the United States.
“Most scientists in the [United States] are from other countries; we are not producing enough on our own,” Ehlers said.
Ehlers explained that it is important to have a strong fundamental science education.
“I think it is important to be a critical thinker,” he said. “I always tell my students when they graduate they get a paper to prove they are graduated. However, I think it is a learner permit. What they learned in college is a base for life-long learning.”
He also stressed the need of improvements in science education. This includes better preparation of science teachers: about 56.9 percent of physical-science teachers are without a major or minor in that field.
Ehlers reiterated that a better recruitment and retention of good science teachers could essentially help to improve education.
“Also, the government can do better research and integration of science and mathematics with humanities,” Ehlers said. “This can help to set higher priority for math and science education.”
Ehlers, a six-term Michigan Republican serving for Michigan’s third district, is famous for his ambition to improve science education in the United States. He has served in the House Science Committee and introduced legislation called the National Science Acts.
