Energy Researcher Believes Science Education Is Crucial

Science has become "an elitist enterprise" Walter Massey director of Argonne National Laboratories told an audience of 60 students yesterday evenings at the Science Center.

In a speech entitled "Science in a Democratic Society," Massey said that as science and technology grow more important, scientists must educate laymen about their surroundings so that they will participate intelligently in making decisions.

Massey described the rising trend of suspicion against new technology in the United States which he believes stems from scientists neglecting to educate the population at large "What people do not understand they will distrust" he said.

Massey's speech the First Annual Percy L. Julian Lecture was co-sponsored by the Harvard Foundation to deal with the concerns of minority students and to improve race relations at Harvard. This is one of the first events that the Foundation has sponsored since its establishment about a year ago.

The largest energy research institute in the United States. Argonne National Laboratories is operated by the University of Chicago under contract to the U.S. Department of Energy Massey has been director of the laboratories since 1979.

The other sponsor of the lecture is the Percy L. Julian Science Organization, formerly the Black Science Students Organizations. The lecture purpose is to encourage Black students to pursue science fields and promote the accomplishments of Black Scientists. Eric Sibley '82, president of the organization said.