Happy Sputnik Day
Hi friends of women in science,
Back in 1957 on this day, USSR launched Sputnik. I remember a thrill: amazement that people could do this, but terror that we were always accessible to it, could see it fly by, were in some sense "under" it and it was sent by USSR, a country I perceived as our implacable enemy.
Why should we celebrate this day on WIS? Because when the US government responded to the challenge with activities that would encourage people to go into science, they didn't keep girls and women out of them! I would say that indirectly, Sputnik's launch was a big day for women in science in the USA. I got to attend an NSF-sponsored ecology workshop at Appalachian State in Boone, NC, the high blue ridge mountains, gorgeous country with lots of diverse ecology to study. Without that experience, maybe I wouldn't have gone into science. In the class, about half of us were women. WE didn't know we were banging on doors that had always kept women out before.
And I also went to the National Science Fair in 1960. It was in Indianapolis, IN, near the time of the big Indy car race. We got to see all of each other's exhibits, of course, and also did tours of Eli Lilly and University of Indiana among other sites. Again, I thought this was SOP, only to find out later these national science fairs were geared up in this big science push after Sputnik. Again, without the satelllite, who knows if I'd have been as thrilled to be a prospective bio major in college?
Anyone who is old enough, do you know of changes in your life that you can trace back to this event?
cheers,
Laura
Laura
On a related note, I was very disappointed to read this morning's paper's summary of answers the presidential candidates gave regarding science policy. Romney's suggestion for increasing the number of scientists was to relax immigration policies for technically educated applicants. Why can't we develop science education within our own borders??? Is doing so considered a lost cause?
Marian
Laura,
I definitely credit Sputnik (launched about the time I started school) for making my science career possible. The US was so concerned about keeping up that science programs, classes, etc., were launched everywhere. Technical professionals couldn't spend enough time with kids and public and private organizations were paying for all kinds of math and science programs.
My mother, having to cope with 7 other children and feeling educationally starved herself, encouraged me to take advantage of all opportunities. Without Sputnik, I may never have studied math and physics -- the social barriers were so high!
While I don't wish for a return to the cold war, I would love for some international event to again push science into the limelight, make it seem important to the average person, and provide encouragement, funding and programs for our young people, Something that would make science seem important to our country.
Marian
Dear Laura,
I used to go to workshops at the museum in Chicago after school, and I'm pretty sure that they were a Sputnik-response too. I can't say for sure they enticed me into science, but they sure didn't hurt. Playing with dry ice, yay!
KRM
Hi Laura,
This was before I was born, but my mom was a math major and I heard her say a few times that a lot of the math courses she loved were created after Sputnik, both in high school and college.
CJ
Yeah, I got hired at a big lab in NY as a result of a post-Sputnik push to increase interest in science. And the student grant/loan programs that came in then paid for my college education too. So happy Sputnik day indeed!
Carol
