New master's program to bridge the gap between science and the public

The UB Graduate School of Education and the Center for Inquiry are now offering a master's program that is entirely online.

The idea behind the new Science and the Public program is to bridge the gap between scientists and the public, who may not understand scientific innovations without help.

The online program will teach students how to communicate science news to the general public - a skill that is important to 21st century jobs and organizations, according to John Shook, an adjunct professor of science education in UB's Graduate School of Education and vice president of the Center for Inquiry.

"They will be able to put science in terms ordinary people will understand. Our graduates will get jobs that will make science less mysterious for their employers," Shook said.

The two-year, 33-credit program is open to all majors. Some UB students think this program will benefit their futures.

"I feel like this is a good idea especially since today's technology is always evolving," said Louise De Silva, a sophomore sociology major. "It's hard for people to keep up...a program like this could be beneficial to a lot of people. It is important for everyone, even the average person, to understand the progress we are making."

In addition to taking the required online courses, people enrolled in the program have to write a thesis about their capabilities in educating others on scientific issues that are often difficult for the public to fully comprehend.

According to Shook, this task is not an easy one since there is a lack of scientific learning in high school, and it only gets worse later in life.

"Tons of educational studies show too many high school students do not know enough about science. As they become adults, usually their knowledge goes down. I call it scientific illiteracy," Shook said.

Students like Kofi Hayford, a senior musical performance major, think the program is imperative to the future of understanding science due to current circumstances.

"I think there is a lapse of communication between what happens in the field of science and what happens in the real world, and how people interpret science," Hayford said. "I think this is a very positive program. It could get more knowledgeable people involved in popular hot-button science issues like global warming."

Students can apply after the initial deadline for the upcoming fall and spring semesters on a rolling admissions schedule.

"We feel like this is a groundbreaking program. We looked around the world for similar [programs] and only found a small handful," Shook said. "Our program is unique and pretty much one of a kind."