Scientific and technical careers

Fifteen to twenty years ago we heralded the beginning of an interest in social and environmental studies, etc. It was a response to a need and signified the maturity of society. But now there has been an excessive tip in the balance. What are the causes and the effects of this?

On the one hand, there appear to be more people interested in fixing the country than seeing it move forward. The focus is on studying our society and analysing and dissecting its social workings rather than making the country grow. It should be noted that the two processes – growth and knowledge and improvement of society - are equally necessary. Therefore there must be enough people for both. The problem is that an imbalance is taking place between these two functions.

To these data, we can also add the information provided by business studies schools in our country. Although many young people study business management, the schools say that the vast majority of their students aspire to become executives rather than entrepreneurs. Once again, we stress that both are necessary, executives and entrepreneurs. A clear imbalance in favour of the executive mentality is a bad sign, because it indicates a loss of the spirit of initiative and risk.

In short, the spirit of entrepreneurship.

I believe that the two phenomena share something in common. Certain professions such as engineers, chemists, mathematicians and physicists, as well as telecommunications specialists, are viewed as being more accountable or more exposed to detectable errors. On the other hand, the risk of failure is inherent in business initiatives.

Moreover, certain technical studies require the mastery of difficult subject matter. And the general impression is that they do not lead to well-paid salaries. On the other hand, in contrast to the biosciences they do not hold a socially positive image. Chemistry, for instance, is unpopular, and chlorine is especially so. But no one says that ceasing the production of chlorine would give rise to highly negative effects on the economy and, especially, that everyday life would become more burdensome.

We have left aside two extremely important professions that many young people wish to study: law and medicine, which despite the difficulties involved in their practice fortunately continue to enjoy significant social prestige. Education, on the other hand, deserves an altogether different consideration.

As I have said, there must be other reasons to explain these phenomena. But we cannot rule out that one of them is a growing trend to evade those situations and professions that involve greater risks.

Another one is a somewhat universal inclination to analyse and even dissect society more than to make it grow or take decisions. Decisions such as how to build a bridge, whether it is appropriate to change a mechanism of production or how to enhance a computer systems process.

It is positive that the social sciences have acquired – in the University and society – the importance they deserved. Fortunately there is no longer a deficit in this field. However it is not positive that the scientific and technological vocations are in decline. It is worthwhile analysing the causes. This newsletter is a modest invitation to do so.