World Science Day for Peace and Development: Role of science in society

World Science Day for Peace and Development is celebrated on November 10 every year. Science answers daily life's problems and aids in our quest to unravel the cosmos' greatest mysteries. So, one of the most significant sources of knowledge is science. Moreover, it performs several tasks for the benefit of our society, including developing new information, enhancing education, and raising the standard of living.

On this day, Ms Monica K Dhawan, Managing Director, Fusion Corporate Solutions and former Independent Director Jammu and Kashmir Bank, shared her thoughts on the role of science in society. Is science improving our ability to live in a sustainable way? Does science communicate effectively with society? Ms Monica says the greatest collaborative effort is science. It helps us live longer and healthier, keeps track of our health, provides medicine to treat diseases, eases aches and pains, aids in the provision of water for our basic needs, including our food, gives us energy, and makes life more enjoyable through sports, music, entertainment, and cutting-edge communication technology. Not to mention, it fuels our spirit.

More than ever, people require a basic understanding of science to participate in decision-making at the national and local levels, manage industrial businesses, hold skilled or semi-skilled jobs, vote as private citizens, or make various other personal decisions. Society's needs and the world's problems must be addressed by science. To empower people to make educated decisions about their personal and professional lives, it is crucial that the public understand and engage with science. Parliaments must pass laws on societal concerns that demand the most recent scientific understanding, and governments must base their decisions on reliable scientific information on health and agriculture. In addition, the research underlying pressing global issues, including freshwater security, biodiversity loss, climate change, and ocean health, must be understood by national governments. Governments and the general public need to become scientifically literate to meet the problems of sustainable development.

On the other hand, researchers must be aware of the challenges that policymakers encounter and work to make their findings understandable to the general public. Also, society must provide a significant amount of support for science. The funding issue is undoubtedly the most prominent and crucial in managing science. But science also needs to interact with the general public. For science to advance and protect the environment, feedback and comprehension from the general public are crucial. But maintaining effective communication between scientists, managers, and policymakers take time and effort. Today's challenges transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries and span the innovation lifecycle, from research to knowledge development and implementation. Our quest for equal and sustainable development must be fueled by science, technology, and innovation.