Early Research: Becoming by Doing

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2017

Keywords

Science education, Research, Engineering, Curiosity

Abstract

"The overwhelming evidence from different fields of study indicates that our high school students are not too young to research. One such study — “Scientific Thinking in Young Children: Theoretical Advances, Empirical Research, and Policy Implica - tions” — was reported by Science magazine in 2012 by Professor Alison Gopnik of the University of California, Berkeley. These studies all confirm the “ole folks tales” about the inquisitive, forever questioning and curious nature of young children. Indeed, about 400 years ago in 1620, the reputed father of the scientific method, Francis Bacon, wrote in Novum Organum that we “must become as little children in order to enter the kingdom of science.” This organic link between early research and curiosity is the consensus view of scientists, past and present. From Einstein, who said, “I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious,” to Hope Jahren, American geoscientist, who wrote in her 2016 book, “Lab Girl”, “People will tell you that you have to know math to be a scientist, or physics or chemistry. They’re wrong ... What comes first is a question.”"

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Excerpted from article

Journal Title

The STEM Edge

Volume

1

Issue

1

First Page

16

Last Page

17

First Department

Chemistry and Biochemistry

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