“Bear in mind that the wonderful things you learn in your schools are the work of many generations, produced by enthusiastic effort and infinite labor in every country of the world. All this is put into your hands as your inheritance in order that you may receive it, honor it, add to it, and one day faithfully hand it to your children.”
-Albert Einstein, 1934
Many professions have had their icons and role models. Einstein is arguably the most famous scientist to walk this planet. When once asked what was the best advice he could give to people, he said to always remember to put the shower curtain inside the tub before turning on the water. He had a sense of humor that made him relatable to the masses even though he saw the wonders of Nature as math equations. Einstein wrote a lot about curiosity, imagination, and enthusiasm. These qualities can be used in many ventures, but he chose Physics.
Segway…
Bill Nye has never been accused of lacking enthusiasm. Having a genuine curiosity of how things work led to a degree in mechanical engineering. Most of us, however, know him as the Science Guy on TV. Spanning 100 episodes, Bill Nye the Science Guy laid a foundation for many across the country to explore curiosity and imagination. Nye took on current, relevant topics and made them relatable and understandable for children (and their parents).
For me, these shows were a time for exploration (virtually). I was able to better comprehend myself, nature, space, chemistry, etc. Times have changed and most people receive information from a variety of sources, some much more interactive. The technology to inspire children to pursue STEM careers are out there. However, where are the enthusiastic STEM crusaders and icons? Unfortunately, it’s not the teachers. They are too busy teaching mandated facts in a race to get through all the course material before the standardized tests in the spring…
Related articles
- Is the Era of Groundbreaking Science Over? (science.slashdot.org)
- Bill Nye’s video game AERO lets you fly like a bird while learning about physics (ted.com)
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