Society has high expectations for the quality and efficacy of science. Research is grounded in the faithful acquisition of new insights, a process in which results have to be discussed and reproduced before they can be accepted as new knowledge. Because the acquisition of new insights in science is tied to people's social lifestyles as well as the…

Over the past three decades, the overall percentage of women receiving degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics--known collectively as the STEM disciplines--has increased dramatically. This growth tends to mask at least three other aspects of the demographics of the science and technology workforce. Unfortunately, aggregated…

Researchers can be reluctant to work with fellow academics outside their disciplines or to engage the public in their research. Some will even hesitate to work with departmental colleagues or their own students if they perceive a disciplinary gap. Many of today's pressing social concerns, however, demand interdisciplinary solutions and benefit…

In 1999, William Dembski became director of the newly established Michael Polanyi Center at Baylor University, thanks to the support of Baylor's president Robert Sloan. The center was, as Dembski observed, "the first intelligent design think tank at a research university." As such, it fulfilled a crucial objective of the "intelligent design"…

Echoing nineteenth-century clerics, hostility to science has become respectable in the university community, evidenced by the emergence of science studies as a discipline. Proponents of science studies support a stance toward scientific research that can lead to intellectual paralysis, and they may in fact understand very little about science.…

While doctoral degree remains standard degree of preference when hiring for industrial laboratories, trends in actual job requirements suggest doctoral degree may provide training that is too narrow, and a master's degree may be a more appropriate qualification. In physical sciences, faculty should work with industry leaders to shape curricula…

This article suggests that the American public is experiencing growing alienation from scientific inquiry and there is no national science policy. The research capacity of the United States is declining, and scientists have been reluctant to speak out. Concern exists that open disagreement among scientists would be more damaging than helpful.…

Legal and educational aspects of the debate over religious expression entering the college classroom are examined, particularly as they relate to inclusion of creationism into science instruction. It is concluded that the central question is not whether creationism is religious, but whether it is true, and that truth benefits from open debate over…