Is the world running out of scientists?

Students are dumping science for easier subjects


The world is in danger of running out of scientists because too many students are opting to study "easier'' subjects in school and university, the British Association for the Advancement of Science was recently told.

Even in supposedly pro-science countries such as South Korea, America and Japan, media studies is now seen as a more attractive option than chemistry, biology and physics, the association president, Sir Peter Williams, said at its annual festival, held this year at the University of Salford.

He said young people may have had their trust in science shaken. "Fewer and fewer of our young people are entering the world of science each year worldwide,'' he said.

Fall in number

This year there was yet another fall in the number of students taking physics, chemistry and biology at A-level. The number of maths students rose, but only after recent years of decline.

Head teachers have said that the rising pass rate of A-levels is being fuelled by pupils switching from maths and science to supposedly easier subjects such as psychology and media studies. "We are not alone in facing these trends,'' said Sir Peter, the former chief executive of Oxford Instruments.

"In a recent visit to South Korea, their minister of science told a group of us that the proportion of high school graduates focusing on science, engineering and maths had almost halved since 1996. Germany, Japan and the USA report similar concerns.'' He added: "In Korea, the minister said the kids were choosing media studies instead.''

Schism

The schism between the sciences and humanities, described by C.P. Snow, the author and physicist, as the "two cultures'' was alive and well in sixth forms, where the A-level system encouraged students to choose between the two, he said. But many of the divisions were unnecessary. Society needed literate scientists, while arts students could study the history and ethics of science.

"Students could continue to study our mother tongue, maths, science and humanities,'' said Sir Peter.

He also questioned whether scientific progress itself was sustainable. The public confidence that science had no limits in devising new cures for disease was over optimistic, he said. Nature was devising ever more successful opponents, from HIV to SARS.

©The Telegraph Group Limited London 2003