By Angela M. Gibson, Ed.D.,
Director, First Year Experience at American Public University
Funding. Inspiration. Commitment. These were themes presented by Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist, science communicator, and director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York City, in a keynote address to the inaugural meeting of the House Science and National Labs Caucus on January 23. Delivered at the Library of Congress just steps away from the rare books of Johannes Kepler, Joseph Hooker, Nicolaus Copernicus, and Galileo Galilei as well as the Carl Sagan collection, the address to members of Congress, Congressional staff, media, and members of the public was inspiring and captivating.
The House Science and National Labs caucus was created to reinforce funding for research and national laboratories as well as to raise awareness of and increase attention to how such centers can positively affect long-term economic growth in the United States. The caucus, a bi-partisan group with co-chairs representing diverse states such as Mississippi, New Mexico, Illinois, and Pennsylvania, determined there was no better way to launch their work than to have Tyson fire up the crowd.
Introduced as the Chuck Norris of science, Congressman Randy Hultgren stated there is no one better to speak about science as a national imperative than Tyson. Representative Hultgren, who may have sparked a series of t-shirts with that statement, noted that national labs do more than research; they provide community outreach, support economic growth both regionally and nationally, and are job creators for the local community. In the keynote, Tyson asked what drives us to do great things as individuals, as a society, as a nation, and as a planet. Providing an excellent history lesson, he expounded upon how the Cold War and the fear of losing the space race to the Soviet Union motivated the United States to act boldly and adopt what were once considered outlandish goals. President John F. Kennedy proclaimed that the country would go to the moon by the end of a decade, a challenge driven by threats of war and security not pure scientific wonder.
Through the amazing work to land an American astronaut on the moon and return safely to Earth, many scientific breakthroughs occurred, many innovations were discovered, the economy grew, individuals felt connected to a larger common goal, and people recognized they belonged to this fragile planet Earth. Amazing feats and breakthrough technologies occurred during the 1960s and beyond and, though driven by fears of security and national interest, these things occurred because of direct federal focus on and federal funding for scientific research.
With the end of the Cold War, funding priorities shifted. Announcements by President George H. W. Bush to have Americans return to the moon were drowned by the fall of the Berlin Wall and crash of the Iron Curtain. The United States turned focus away from science. National Labs and other federally-funded research centers were moved well down the priority list in budgetary discussions as short-term return on investments trumped long-term economic progress.
Tyson cited the superconducting supercollider as an excellent example of how lack of funding prevented the U.S. from being the leader in particle physics research. Though American researchers are involved, the European based CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research) receives the benefit and attention from breakthroughs such as the discovery of the Higgs Boson particle. CERN is is recognized internationally for operating the largest particle physics laboratory in the world.
Tyson noted that economics is also a top three driver for discovery along with war and security. He asked if American centers for research and national labs were key for discovery during a time of war then why not now use these centers for national needs?
Using these centers for discovery and national needs is not immediately lucrative, he pointed out. It’s a long-term investment. Tyson proposed a group of centers that would work together to create discovery and solve national problems. Pointing out that corporations will not invest in risky and long-term work as there is no immediate return on investment, Tyson noted the support for discovery must come from a national commitment and federal funding.
Tyson stated that there is an imperative to fund scientists and physicists to research, experiment, and discover even though we don’t know what it will lead to. “Don’t ask me why it’s important to study something – it is and we will find discoveries from it!”
“Innovation, science, and technology, when we are not at war, are the engines of tomorrow’s economy,” Tyson said. He noted that discovery is more than just rocket science– the roster at NASA includes many varied professions. Connecting his points back to the ideas of funding and inspiration, Tyson stated, “you can’t tell people to do things, you must inspire them to do things and then they will do great things!”
About the Author:
Dr. Gibson has been published in various peer reviewed journals such as the Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, Community College of Research and Practice, and Issues in Educational Research. She is active in regional and national education associations performing in roles as division co-chair, session chair and session discussant, graduate student mentor and discussant, and paper submission reviewer. Additionally, she serves on an editorial review board for an education journal. Dr. Gibson received a B.A. in International Relations from George Mason University, a Masters of Arts in Human Performance Systems, with a Graduate Certificate in Instructional Design, from Marymount University, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership, with concentrations in Adult Education, Higher Education, and Community College Education, from Texas A and M University – Kingsville.
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