After a four-year hiatus, the Flathead Valley Community College Honors Symposium is back, offering students and members of the community five opportunities to hear science experts address various topics that support this year’s theme, “Science Matters: Skepticism, Inquiry and the Need for Literacy.”
This year’s free lecture series will focus on the history and process of modern science; the accrued benefits of a scientifically literate society (as well as the burdens of a scientific literacy); the differences between science and pseudoscience; the political, economic and cultural lobbying affecting public policy related to science; and the ethics of scientific investigation.
Kicking off the symposium Feb. 25, Sheril Kirschenbaum will present “Unscientific America: How Scientific Illiteracy Threatens our Future.” The presentation will explore how the vast majority of Americans do not see the ways in which science holds relevance in their lives, and too many scientists are unable to explain why their work matters.
Kirshenbaum is director of the University of Texas at Austin Energy Poll where she works to enhance public understanding of energy issues and improve communication between scientists, policymakers and the public.
The symposium will continue with the following presentations:
March 6: “Informing the Citizenry: Where Science Can Succeed (and Fail) in the Technology Debates” presented by Christopher Preston, Ph.D., The University of Montana Department of Philosophy
March 11: “Biotechnology: One Problem at a Time. Are you Kidding?” presented by David Sands, Ph.D., Montana State University Department of Plant Science
March 20: “Climate Change, GMOs and Vaccine Safety: Should We Trust Scientific Consensus?” presented by Kristen Intemann, Ph.D., Montana State University Department of Philosophy
March 24: “Harnessing Science in Service of a Thriving Democracy” presented by Pallavi Phartiyal, Ph.D., senior analyst and program manager for the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists.