Where have all the scientists gone?

Macquarie University science students Joel Bedford and Querida Hutchinson.

Macquarie University has commissioned Australia’s largest and most comprehensive study to find out why people aren’t choosing to study science and technology programs at university – and you can be involved.

Over the past four years in Australia, there has been a noticeable decline in the number of students choosing science, engineering and technology programs at university, leading to a forecasted shortage of skilled professionals in important scientific and technological areas.

About the study

Director of Public Relations and Marketing at Macquarie University Megan Etheridge explains that the year-long research project aims to determine just who is and who isn’t interested in studying science and technology and what the scientific community needs in terms of skilled graduates

The results of the project will not only inform the development of science and technology programs at the University, but will be shared with other universities in the interest of addressing a national problem.

To conduct this study, Macquarie has employed one of its science graduates, Madeline Raison who, in addition to a Masters degree in molecular microbiology, has worked for the marketing department of a major pharmaceutical company.

Raison is mid-way through the project, spending the first couple of months conducting a literature review and talking to stakeholders from within the University, in schools, and in industry to gather feedback on what they see as the major issues contributing to the situation.

Online surveys

Based on her preliminary discussions, she has designed four web-based surveys – one for senior school students, one for current Macquarie University students, one for the science and technology community, and one for employers of Macquarie science graduates – which will be available online until the end of August 2005. The results will then be analysed and a series of focus groups held to further investigate the issues identified in the surveys.

“We are expecting up to 6,000 responses to our web surveys, with even more detailed feedback gathered in the focus groups that we will hold with representatives from the three survey groups,” Raison explains.

Possible reasons for the decline

Head of the Department of Biological Sciences at Macquarie, Associate Professor Michael Gillings believes there are a number of reasons why science is no longer a popular study and career choice.

These include society blaming science for some of the negative by-products of discovery, such as pollution, genetically engineered organisms and nuclear technology; the fact that many scientists appear unapproachable and distant and do not engage well with the public; and some more practical reasons.

“Scientists are largely poorly paid, have an uncertain future and have to work really hard to get things done. No wonder kids are turned off,” he says.

We’d like to hear your views. If you are interested in participating in the online surveys, visit www.macquarieunisurveys.com. For more information on the research project contact Madeline Raison at madeline.raison@mq.edu.au

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