President's Column.

"Before Your Ship Can Come In You Must First Send It Out"-Anonymous

There has been some debate about precisely when the new millennium started but I am reliably informed that we are now definitely in the 21st century and the new millennium has begun... As I think about the scientific achievements of the last century and how they changed the world as we know it, I find myself wondering what the new century will bring and how best to prepare our young people for the inevitable changes. The last century brought the splitting of the atom, flight to the moon, the discovery of the earth's templates, a biochemical description of previously unknown organisms, the eradication of diseases by antibiotics and vaccines, computers, radio and television, the mapping of the human genome and the creation of new life forms through genetic engineering. This was a truly remarkable legacy. Regretfully, it also brought the horror of scientific technology used in destructive ways: chemical dependency, bombs, gas warfare, germ warfare, and chemically induced famine to name but a few. So what will t he new century bring and how do we prepare our young people for it?

I believe that we should impart to our young people three things: (1) the joy of discovery, (2) a sense of the awesomeness of nature, and (3) a belief in personal responsibility. As scientists, it is our privilege to share with our students opportunities for them to become involved in the search for new scientific knowledge and to share in the joy of science. There are new worlds to conquer and we can share our enthusiasm for discovery with our students. Our world is filled with marvelous flora and fauna whose incredible life cycles are always in evidence. It is replete with awesome monuments and incredible natural phenomena. A simple field trip could be the moment when a student stops saying "So what?" and starts saying "Wow!". The wow factor leads to a profound respect for the miracle of life and a sense of wonder at the awesome nature of the universe. This inevitably leads to the "what if?" questions. While we can not predict what the new century will bring in the way of scientific breakthroughs, it is ob vious that there will be ethical decisions involving the acquisition, dissemination, and use of these scientific discoveries which must be faced by future generations. Preparing our students to make those ethical decisions is essential and it begins with an open discussion of controversial scientific choices ("if?, if not?" questions). Since scientific choices can have sweeping effects on our planet and possibly beyond, we have both a need and a duty as scientists to imbue our students with a sense of personal responsibility for choices made. In this fashion when we pass the torch to the scientists of tomorrow, they will be ready for it.

But how do we prepare our students in this era of rising costs, shrinking budgets, and larger class sizes? One approach is to network with other scientists and science educators at the meetings of the Mississippi Academy of Sciences (MAS) and Mississippi Junior Academy of Sciences (MJAS). Here you will meet your colleagues and fashion new approaches to old problems. Please bring your students to these meetings. The Academy meetings are a perfect way for a young investigator to present his/her research findings to a friendly and supportive audience and to attend symposia on topics of scientific importance. Interactions with faculty and other students will open a young person's mind to possibilities hitherto unimagined. The meetings are also a place for teachers to make contacts with other educators. Many a useful collaboration has begun at the MAS and MJAS meetings. Similarly, the vendor's displays often have useful information about products which are appropriate for the classroom and teaching laboratories. Research scientists serve as mentors for students and new teachers. Get involved with the Academy and volunteer to serve on a committee. Not only does this help out the Academy, it is a great way to network. It is here that you learn from your peers how to shape scientific policy, design new educational strategies, and develop new scientific solutions. For as we enter the new century and new millennium the world is our bubble and Mississippi is our state. What we make of it determines the legacy that we will leave to our young people. How we accomplish our aims (scientific and other) defines who we are and serves as a beacon to others. But clearly, before our ship can come in we must first send it out. A very special thanks to Dr. Bill Lushbaugh and all the other volunteers who have helped make the Academy strong. It is my honor to serve you and I hope to see all of you at the next meeting.