There are serious global challenging issues confronting humanity in the 21st century such as looming of epidemics, energy shortage, ignorance, drugs and severe poverty. The relative severity of these challenges might however vary from first world to developing world. Successfully educating our children is certainly the most effective way to approach some of society's most intractable problems since education will have an impact on solving at least part of all other problems. The need to improve K-12 education particularly in the area of science, I believe, constitutes a major responsibility for the scientific community. The social contract between science and society had fundamentally changed in the last decade. Scientists must reach out to society and educate them about science. Perhaps the best way to do this is to catalyze better K-12 science, math, and technology education.

We need to initiate programs at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels. In each case the philosophy would be to develop programs by closely collaborating with outstanding teachers who will then spread the new trends to their colleagues. We need to train teachers how to be aware of new research to be able to give at least a glimpse of the science forefront to their students; this is highly encouraging and stimulating for students. We also need to pair teachers and scientists together during summer schools and workshops to develop new curricular material which is then field tested in the middle schools. Clearly we need some very ambitious programs, well funded to bring hours of hands-on science instruction to science teachers. Some partnership programs should be initiated to include universities and schools. The idea is to focus around a variety of excellent hands on science kits covering the life sciences, earth sciences, and physical sciences. These science explorations will foster the children's natural curiosity and promote problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Primarily through many contacts with previous students working in public, independent and even private schools, I can see the need for a well organized and up to date teacher training program particularly in the field of science. We need to train teachers to promote meaningful science learning, by using some practices that are designed to engage students in science as an important, stimulating topic that affects their everyday life. We must take great care while adapting these approaches that change must be systematic, gradual and sustainable. It must also be emphasized that academic scientists can play a key role in catalyzing change.

Programs focusing on public understanding of science should also be initiated to create a science encouraging environment for children. Some of the most important suggestions would be initiating science foundations and societies bearing in mind that those science societies should have education dedicated sections within them.