Letter from Dr. Neal Lane, Issues in Global Education

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Letter from Dr. Neal Lane, Issues in Global Education

Dear Friends:

Recognizing that the American Forum for Global Education has spent 30 years helping young Americans understand the importance of global issues in their daily lives, I appreciate this opportunity to highlight a phenomenon that may affect and interest young people world-wide -- that is, the globalization of science. By the “globalization” of science, we generally mean the increasing opportunity -- and the increasing need-- for the world's best scientific minds to collaborate on new discoveries and on problems facing our global society -- poverty, disease, pollution, and sustainable energy production. All people, not just Americans, share these concerns and international collaboration allows us to transcend national boundaries to develop common solutions. As the Russian writer and physician Anton Chekhov pointed out, “There is no national science just as there is no national multiplication table.”

Moreover, international scientific collaboration supports our foreign policy goals and national security interests. When relations between countries are strained, scientific cooperation surmounts political barriers to enable expanded communication and partnership.

To the many young people who will benefit from the American Forum's continued efforts, I would observe that you enjoy a great opportunity to advance international scientific cooperation. Information technology is providing your “Internet generation” with the potential for communicating with counterparts worldwide. I encourage you to nurture these possibilities and strengthen these ties as you search for answers to scientific puzzles throughout your education and your career. I ask you to remember that science is our planet's common ground, and scientists from all nations must work together toward its advance, for the benefit of all its people.

Sincerely,

Neal Lane
Assistant to the President
for Science and Technology