PUBLIC TRUST听in science reached听its听highest level听鈥 91%听鈥听in four years, according to听the听2021 global听听commissioned by听multinational conglomerate听3M. In light of the pandemic, the same percentage said that听scientists are critical to听humanity鈥檚听future well-being.听听
In the Asia Pacific,听87%听believe that investments in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) will improve听the听economy.听Other听regional findings include:听
- 60% believe science is very important in their daily lives, above the 56% global average.听
- 82% said the COVID-19 pandemic听has made them more environmentally conscious, five points more than the global average.听
- 91% also believe that science should help drive policy decision-making, six points more听than听the global average.听
ADVOCATING FOR STEM听
Worldwide, scientists and medical professionals are inspiring a new generation to pursue a science-based career. This is true for 70% of Gen听Zs, 68% of millennials, and 59% of Generation Xers, according to the study.听听
Corporations play a key role in championing science, said Kevin J. McGuigan, vice-president and managing director 3M鈥檚 South East Asia region, in a press statement.听鈥淥ne such way is through providing quality STEM education opportunities for the community,鈥澨齢e said.听
3M Philippines, for example,听partnered with local education program provider听听to launch听, a virtual camp that aims to encourage girls aged 11鈥17 to take an interest in the field.听听
(Women are underrepresented in the STEM sector,听听Gender stereotypes, male-dominated cultures, and math anxiety听.)听
Meanwhile,听听provides听students from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand,听and听the Philippines听with a platform to听develop ideas in听innovation,听sustainability, and听technology.听
Other multinational companies听with STEM-related听initiatives听include听IBM, which听offers free upskilling programs such as听,听, and听SkillsBuild;听and听Microsoft, which听has free STEM lessons and activities for teachers听.听Local pharmaceutical company Unilab, meanwhile, supports STEM education through its foundation鈥檚听, a program that implements teacher development programs and learner engagement initiatives.听
The Philippine Institute for Development Studies听said in February that听there is a shortage of students going into STEM fields. The government think tank听estimates听the following supply-demand gaps in the local workforce by 2025: 13,964 workers in the life sciences, 569,903 in engineering, 9,689 in the physical sciences, and 13,285 in math and statistics.听鈥斕Patricia B. Mirasol听
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The 2021 State of Science Index survey was conducted among a representative sample of 1,000 general population adults, 18 years and older, across the following 17 countries: US, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Poland, Italy, Brazil, Mexico, Columbia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, China, India, UAE, and Australia. At the 95% confidence level, the margin of error is +/- 0.75 percentage points at the 17-country level and +/- 3.1 percentage points for each individual country. To compare results year over year, a 10-country tracking average was used which has a margin of error of +/- 0.98 percentage points.听
