NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH

President Bush recently expressed the need for students to be better trained in math and sciences, in order for the United States to remain competitive in the global economy. There is indeed a need for increases in geoscience education at all levels, from preschool through college, as well as in the general public. Experts in fields such as energy, natural resources, geohazards, and technology are needed to help decision makers at local, state and federal levels develop sound policies that meet the needs of today's society. Citizens should also have access to sound science information so they can make responsible decisions for their own lives.

Despite increasing demand for enhanced geoscience education, funding in the public and private sectors is dwindling. School districts, charged with meeting the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act, struggle to operate on tight budgets. Many non-profit organizations rely on volunteers to provide quality science programs. In order to minimize or eliminate costs to participants, the individual presenting the program may receive nominal (if any) compensation. Meanwhile personal costs are incurred, in terms of time, gasoline and supplies, especially where hands-on activities are involved. In these cases, geoscience outreach becomes a labor of love. Non-material benefits of volunteer outreach activities are often overlooked. There is personal satisfaction in knowing you may have had a positive influence on the aspirations of a child or satisfied an adult's life-long curiosity. Volunteering provides occasion to hone one's interpersonal skills and offers scientists a chance to step back from their daily endeavors to be reminded why they do what they do.

However, financial necessity puts a limit on how much volunteering one can reasonably do. Geoscience educators deserve to be fairly compensated for their time and effort. The current climate in science and academia is geared primarily toward research, frequently ignoring the need for basic public education. Geoscience research is useless if its results and applications are not effectively communicated beyond the research community. Grant requests including a component for outreach to convey the relevance of the work could garner public support for continued or increased funding.