Over the past several months, we have seen an historic public health crisis catapult us into a time of social and economic pain. This reminds us that life as we know it depends fundamentally on our ability to protect our health and that of our world. When conditions outpace our science and our ability to act on science, the guardrails that steady us crumble, and so do the routines we cherish. As we seek answers and reach for clarity, many questions are on our minds and in our hearts. Will we and our loved ones be safe? What will school and work look like? How will our economy recover? How will our individual lives change?
We share these questions and concerns. And at the Connecticut Science Center, our mission has us thinking carefully about the future of our children and the communities we serve across the state. Without question, this crisis highlights the need for a science-literate society to invest in disease prevention and cures. Nearly every prognosticator puts effective treatments and a vaccine at the center of a full return to economic and lifestyle normalcy. This requires nothing less than overwhelming public and policy support. And short of the silver bullets that only science has any hope of delivering, science also leads the coping mechanisms to predict and contain further loss of life and guide economic stability.
The children and grandchildren of those most at risk from COVID-19 are the innovators who will answer these questions, and the generations to follow will not be far behind. This underscores the deep need to inspire a culture of respect, enthusiasm and support for science and those who use it for the benefit of everyone. Today’s healthcare professionals and all those around them are the poignant example of the moment.
Our work at the Connecticut Science Center is focused on each of these priorities. For the 10 years since the Connecticut Science Center opened, and for the decades to come, the cause of science has been and will be at the center of our mission. We live to bring joy and excitement to science. Our message must resonate now more than ever: Science will find the answers. Science will be with us, and it is here to help when we put it to work and follow what it tells us. Science is the way forward. Love Science.
Matt Fleury
President & Chief Executive Officer
