The Diminishing Support for Science: Persuade or Perish

The science community has seen enormous successes in recent years, but has failed to convince the ``average citizen'' (read taxpayer) that it matters. In fact, skepticism regarding science has reached the point where a publication of the stature of National Geographic recently devoted its cover story to the topic. Science, of course, does matter...but the work of scientists who largely depend upon public support is not complete until the public has been convinced of the worthiness of the investment that has been made. As one who has sought for several decades to make the case for science, writ large, the author, a non-scientist, shares some of what he has learned and why he believes these lessons are critically important, not only to scientists but to the nation’s and world's citizenry as a whole.