April 3, 2008

Bunsen Kicks Off World Science Festival

Posted by Lisa Jarvis on April 3, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere

Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, whom we at C&ENtral Science would like to believe is a chemist, appears to be one of only two chemists representing at the World Science Festival, to be held May 28–June 1 in New York City. Yesterday, Dr. Honeydew helped unveil the event, which aims “to cultivate and sustain a general public informed by the content of science, inspired by its wonder, convinced of its value, and prepared to engage with its implications for the future.”

As a New Yorker (few may realize C&EN’s Northeast News Bureau hosts several borough residents), I was pretty psyched to see my hometown sponsor what organizers say will be an annual event. After all, we already like to think of ourselves as the center of pretty much every other universe, why not add science to the list? It was a wee bit disappointing to peruse the schedule and, with only Bunsen and MIT’s Henry Dreyfus representing, be reminded that chemistry still isn’t considered as sexy as biology or physics. I continue to wonder about the root of that discrepency. Regardless, the lineup is impressive, and it is one that I can only hope will stoke public interest in science.

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