Scientific literacy is about how you think, about questioning everything, about being skeptical, and about thinking critically. In this talk, Andrew Zwicker shares the importance of being scientifically literate. He explains the what, why, and how of scientific literacy, including science’s relation to participation in the democratic process.
Andrew Zwicker is a physicist and the Head of Science Education at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. His group creates programs that motivate and inspire students to look beyond today’s norms and conventions, programs that unlock potential and create new possibilities. A Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS), he is currently the Editor of the newsletter “Physics and Society.” He holds a Ph.D. in physics from Johns Hopkins University and a B.A. in physics from Bard College. His research interests include 3D printing of laboratory equipment, fusion energy, remote control of laboratory equipment for online learning, and educational uses of plasmas.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx