Engineers in U.S. vs. India

[Steve Schear]

At 11:17 AM 1/6/2004, Declan McCullagh wrote:
>http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-407043,curpg-3.cms
>
>Moreover, it is found out that the Americans are shying away from the 
>challenges of math and science. A recent National Science Foundation Study 
>reveals a 5 per cent decline in the overall doctoral candidates in the US 
>over the last five years.

Not surprising considering the lack of preparation most get today in school.

As has been discussed on this list many who graduated college before the 
late '70s were able to pursue independent science experimentation (esp. 
chemistry and rocketry, etc.).  Now almost all science can only be learned 
in the classroom.  Many of the greatest scientific break throughs were made 
by amateurs.  We'll probably never know what new ideas were never thought, 
or were greatly delayed, because young minds in science were only channeled 
through the rote of the classroom.

steve