Professor Bassam Z. Shakhashiri Professor Bassam Z. Shakhashiri William T. Evjue Distinguished Chair for the Wisconsin Idea Director, Wisconsin Initiative for Science Literacy Department of Chemistry University of Wisconsin-Madison Friday, May 22, 2015 Khorana Bose Scholars Program Chicago, Ilinois The Joy of Learning and the Joy of Sharing

Grand Challenges to Society and to Scientists Help sustain Earth and its people in the face of: Population Growth Finite Resources Finite Resources Malnutrition Malnutrition Spreading Disease Spreading Disease Deadly Violence Deadly Violence War War Climate Change Climate Change Denial of Basic Human Rights, especially the right to benefit from scientific and technological progress Denial of Basic Human Rights, especially the right to benefit from scientific and technological progress

What differentiates our society now from all previous societies?

Science

Industrial Revolution Electronic Revolution

Science-rich Sector Science-poor Sector

Scientific Competence Science Literacy Scientific Expertise

Science Literacy is for Everyone Chemists, Artists, Humanists, All Professionals, The General Public, Youth and Adults Alike

Science is Vital to Democracy

“Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed.” >> Abraham Lincoln

Respect Trust Confidence

CONNECTIVITY

Family Friends Neighbors Community

Grand Challenges to Society and to Scientists Help sustain Earth and its people in the face of: Population Growth Finite Resources Finite Resources Malnutrition Malnutrition Spreading Disease Spreading Disease Deadly Violence Deadly Violence War War Climate Change Climate Change Denial of Basic Human Rights, especially the right to benefit from scientific and technological progress Denial of Basic Human Rights, especially the right to benefit from scientific and technological progress

“Science and society have what is essentially a social contract that enables great intellectual achievements but comes with mutual expectations of benefiting the human condition and protecting our planet.” Grand Challenges to Society and to Scientists

“In a free and civil society people must be virtuous as well as technically skilled.” “We must assure that the next generation of scientists is both highly skilled technically and properly educated to carry on their scientific and educational work for the common good of society.”

The Strongest Forces in Society Religion Science

Evolution Climate Change

Winters have gotten milder. Our planet has changed and continues to do so.

It’s gotten warmer locally. Our planet has changed and continues to do so.

Ice has melted. Grinnell Glacier, Glacier Nat’l Park Our planet has changed and continues to do so.

Human activities change the composition of the atmosphere. Our planet has changed and continues to do so.

Which gas is responsible for the largest fraction of the Earth’s atmospheric greenhouse warming effect? A. methane B. ozone C. water vapor D. carbon dioxide ACS Climate Science Toolkit

Tools to better understand and communicate climate science

Scientist-Citizen

“Is it enough for a scientist simply to publish a paper? Isn't it the responsibility of scientists, if you believe that you have found something that can affect the environment, isn't it your responsibility to actually do something about it, enough so that action actually takes place? …If not us, who? If not now, when?” >> F. Sherwood Rowland

Scientist-Citizen

SCIENTIST-CITIZEN