Robinson interviews Howard Wainer, a scientist, who graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1965 and Princeton in 1968 with degrees in mathematics and psychometrics, respectively. He taught at Temple University and The University of Chicago before moving to the Bureau of Social Science Research during the Carter Administration. Wainer…

Philosophers of biology have long argued that Darwin's theory of evolution was qualitatively different from all earlier theories of evolution. Whereas Darwin's predecessors and contemporaries explained adaptation as the transformation of a species' ''essence,'' Darwin explained adaptation as the selective propagation of randomly occurring…

Deficits theory posits that women scientists have not yet achieved parity with men scientists because of structural aspects of the scientific environment that provide them with fewer opportunities and more obstacles than men. The current study of 208 faculty women scientists tested this theory by examining the effect of personal negative…

This article highlights several programs at the National Academies that should be useful to educators in biology. These include works under the aegis of the National Academy of Sciences' Office on Public Understanding of Science, the National Academy of Engineering's (NAE's) ongoing work on improving technological literacy, and joint work by the…

In recent years, critics of the social studies have complained that instead of studying history, elementary and high school students take other social science courses, sex and health education, or driver training. Seeking to explain the origin of that supposed shift, many authors concentrate on the period from 1892 to 1937, arguing that it was…

While astronomy has recently re-emerged in many science curricula, there remain unresolved teaching and learning difficulties peculiar to astronomy education. This paper argues that mental model building, the core process in astronomy itself, should be reflected in astronomy education. Also, this crucial skill may promote a better understanding of…

During three series of molecular genetics experiments, our students engage in ungraded discussions of research articles related to their experiments. The research articles are selected less for their relevance to students' laboratory experience than for their focus on experimental design and the clarity of data presentation. By discussing these…

Following an integrative model that shows the complex connections of recruitment, retention, and placement, this final paper in a three-part series explores the demanding endeavor of placing geography graduates into rewarding professional careers. Employment markets will continue to be robust for geography graduates, particularly for those with…

This article analyses the early careers of young scientists in France. Since training and early career management are designed to cater almost exclusively for an academic career, a substantial proportion of PhDs lack support to design their training in relation to the job they will look for after graduation. Even if most young scientists manage to…

The term "deep map" is the invention of writer William Least Heat-Moon, whose extended essay "PrairyErth (a deep map)" has given definition to this form. Deep-map writing is marked by its intertextual, interdisciplinary, and multivocal nature. It is also self-consciously cartographic, presenting maps, following maps, and redrawing maps. Deep…

The core argument is that social science must re-examine its mission and praxis in order to be a significant player in future higher education. This article reviews the results and prospects arising from a four-year international project. Originating in Greenwood and Levin's concern about the social sciences, the project, funded by the Ford…

This paper argues that the dominant form of science education that is common across the world rests on a set of values that have no merit. Moreover, such practice has a negative impact on students' attitudes to science. It makes the case that the primary goal of any science education should be to develop scientific literacy and explores what that…

In death-averse American society, the field of thanatology is often socially and academically isolating. The purpose of this article is to describe the experiences of a group of death scholars and share insights gained as members of an interdisciplinary team. They discuss the ways in which they have created a special "safe" space for death study…

Textbooks for GCE Advanced Level Biology have provided over-simplified and inaccurate accounts of Charles Darwin's contribution to the study of evolution over a period of many decades. They have credited him with field skills and insight that he did not possess, and repeated several historical inaccuracies. Darwin's strength was as a synthesiser…

This guide is intended for librarians planning to start an information brokerage, whether as an entrepreneur or as a member of a document delivery group in a library. The guide identifies specific skills and relevant characteristics required to establish a successful information brokerage firm and describes a model to assist readers in the process…