Science's Waterloo!

Okay, couldn't resist taking a dig at a well-known neo-Creationist claims about scientists meeting their Waterloo (phrased differently, but that was the essence).

Why this dig? Well, because the following story takes place in the Waterloo Region (wherever that might be - there are quite a few Waterloos out there).

Anyway, I think that this is a great idea.

Science Superheroes and Explorations

Technology served up to young minds by local organizations

Teenagers love technology. In malls, on buses, in school yards, there is hardly a young person who isn't plugged into a cellphone, digital music player or video gadget.

But most young people don't see the connection between science and the technology that they are immersed in, David Yach, chief technology officer for Research In Motion, told school teachers this week during the launch of a Science Superheroes program for teachers.

"Kids don't grasp the link between the science and technology," he said.

Science Superheroes is the newest program of the Business and Education Partnership of Waterloo Region, an organization managed by the Communitech technology association that works to connect educators and students to businesses.

The partnership's program manager, Alayne Hynes, said Science Superheroes involves a series of lectures designed to connect teachers and department heads to "real-life" technology and science experts.

While it seems that the focus is somewhat narrow (no Earth sciences it sounds like), I still think it's great that they try to explain to people how technology and science is connected. There seems to be a blind spot on many people, so they don't realize that you need science to make technology better and better. Much like you need science to make medicine better and better. Tragically, some of the people who don't realize this, are engineers and doctors, who are some of the very people applying the science in their fields.