Where Have All the Young Men (and Women) Gone?

The results of the Second International Science Study and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science assessments are cited and future job openings in natural sciences and engineering areas are projected. Technology is ever increasing in complexity, yet ninth-grade U.S. students scored second from the bottom on international comparisons of science achievement. There is an unprecedented crisis in the United States, and in order to resolve it, there is a need to: (1) place greater emphasis on middle school science education; (2) increase the quality of science teachers; and (3) increase the emphasis on science education and the teaching of science at the university level. Leadership is needed to meet these needs. The paper recommends greater commitment to science programs and teaching by colleges and universities and greater support by the National Science Foundation. (YP)