ST. PAUL, Minn., May 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- From
manufacturing personal protective equipment to developing vaccines
to the overall response to COVID-19, science is heightening the
world's expectations for what is possible, according to the 2021
3M (NYSE: MMM) State of Science
Index.
"3M's State of Science Index shows 89% of people agree, science
brings hope and makes the future brighter."
"Science is becoming more of a uniting factor as the world moves
toward a common mission to build a safer, greener, stronger, and
more equitable future," said Mike
Roman, chairman of the board and chief executive officer for
3M. "The world's confidence in
science is confirmed every day as we see more and more examples of
its impact, from the COVID-19 recovery to advancing sustainability,
making a meaningful difference."
Whether being hopeful that science will save us from the
pandemic – 85 percent agree – or believing science will be the
reason 2021 is better than 2020 (87 percent), more people
appreciate what science can do.
The State of Science Index (SOSI) is a third-party,
independent research study commissioned by 3M and conducted annually for the past four years
to track attitudes towards science. The 2021 study was fielded from
February to March and includes 17 countries – making it the largest
data pool to date. It is the second edition of SOSI conducted
during the pandemic.
More trust. Less Doubt.
The public image of science
has improved again, with trust in science remaining at the highest
level recorded in the four years since the State of Science Index
began tracking it. Globally, 91% of respondents trust science, 85%
agree there are negative consequences to society if science is not
valued; a significant majority (75%) stand up to skeptics by
defending science if someone questions it. Biases are increasingly
put on the back burner, with a 7-point decline since the
pre-pandemic survey in the percentage of people who only believe in
science that aligns with their personal beliefs, and skepticism in
science is at its lowest (27%). Two-thirds (67%) say that science
unifies those with opposing views, while one-third (33%) believe it
divides.
More Trust. More conformity?
The survey data supports
the hypothesis that the more we trust science, the more likely we
may be to follow scientific advice to stay safe during the
pandemic. A significant majority (91%) agree that people should
follow the advice of scientists to contain the spread of COVID-19,
with 82% saying most people they know follow behaviors recommended
by scientists to stay safe. Moreover, 88% agree vaccines are an
essential part of how science responds to public health
concerns.
Will appreciation continue, and is the U.S. a bellwether for
future trends?
Data points to some early warning signs. A
majority (59%) believe that appreciation for science will continue
beyond the pandemic, but 41% are not fully convinced. Across
generations, the trend shows Gen Z adults and millennials have
greater optimism than their older counterparts (63%). Baby boomers,
the oldest generation in the survey, are the least optimistic
(53%).
Compared to the global average, America is an outlier. A little
more than half of Americans in the survey (53%) believe science
appreciation will last beyond the pandemic. Further, the proportion
of Americans skeptical of science has risen directionally over
the past six months, potentially indicating that a shift, led
by the U.S., may be coming.
The pandemic has ignited a renewed interest in STEM careers
and education.
Scientists and medical professionals are
inspiring people to pursue STEM-based careers in the future,
especially among younger generations. Over half (60%) are more
inspired to pursue a STEM career due to the pandemic, rising to 65%
among Gen Z and millennials. And, while 90% agree the world needs
more people pursuing STEM careers, barriers to entry
remain.
"Events of the past year have put a spotlight on the education
gap within underserved communities," said Dr. Jayshree Seth, corporate scientist and chief
science advocate, 3M. "Gender
inequalities, and unequal access to a quality STEM education for
under-resourced students, continue to affect economic outcomes
across the globe. We must all do our part to create greater
opportunities, by strengthening STEM investments, eliminating
underrepresentation in STEM, and bridging the STEM talent gap so
that we can all realize the promise of a more diverse, equitable,
and inclusive society."
Amid ongoing social justice issues, the world is eager to see a
shift in inequities for under-represented groups within STEM. Most
respondents (88%) agree that it is essential to increase diversity
in STEM, recognizing it enables greater global collaboration,
innovative ideas, and new and improved approaches to existing
research techniques. Still, more than two-thirds (73%) acknowledge
that equal access to STEM education is often not available to
underrepresented minorities.
Within STEM equity, gender disparity remains an issue; there are
negative consequences to society if the science community fails to
attract more women and girls (70%); more needs to be done to keep
women and girls engaged in STEM education (87%); females are
discouraged from STEM more than males (59%).
Looking at who bears responsibility for the education of STEM
students, data confirms teachers and governments rank first and
second - but corporations rank third, ahead of family members and
NGOs. This reveals a clear mandate for companies to play their
part.
3M recently announced actions to
build even greater equity in its communities, business practices
and workplaces, setting a new global, education-focused goal. The
company will advance economic equity by creating five million
unique STEM and Skilled Trades learning experiences for
underrepresented individuals by the end of 2025. 3M is also releasing a docuseries for the public
this June. "Not the Science Type," features the stories of four
female scientists with different careers as they challenge
stereotypes and confront and overcome gender, racial, and age
discrimination.
Sustainability is an issue that science can solve, and
solutions are urgently needed.
The State of Science Index
exposes a growing concern and a sense of urgency surrounding the
health of the planet. A significant majority (89%) agree that
solutions to mitigate climate change need to happen immediately,
and 89% confirm their belief that the world should follow science
to help create a more sustainable future.
This February, 3M announced plans to invest
$1 billion over the next 20 years to
accelerate new environmental goals, including achieving carbon
neutrality by 2050, reducing water use by 25% at facilities, and
return higher-quality water to the environment after use in
manufacturing operations. In April, 3M announced an
additional new goal to reduce its use of virgin fossil-based
plastic (new plastic made from petroleum) by 125 million pounds
within five years.
Over the last year, climate change has become more of a concern
for Gen Z adults (72%) vs. their older counterpart, boomers (68%).
As a result of the pandemic, Gen Z has become more environmentally
conscious (80%) compared to boomers (73%).
"The urgency for improving the health of our planet and its
people comes through loud and clear," said Gayle
Schueller, senior vice president and chief sustainability
officer, 3M. "By working with
customers, businesses, governments, and international
parties, we can address environmental challenges around the
globe and build a more sustainable future."
Cross-collaboration on science-based solutions is
critical.
Perhaps because the public has experienced
firsthand the benefits of collaboration between countries in the
past year, there is agreement (91%) that the world should work
together on scientific solutions to address pressing issues,
including future pandemics and climate change.
Collaboration between public and private sectors to advance
science is overwhelmingly supported (92%). About half of people
expect corporations to work with governments to advocate for
regulations and policies that solve global challenges (51%).
Topping the list is a desire for companies to prioritize preparing
for the next pandemic (55%), indicating a concern for future
outbreaks. Other priorities for companies include investment in
innovations that mitigate the effects of climate change (46%) and
removal of barriers to quality STEM education for the
underrepresented (40%).
Over the past year, 3M
has joined the UN to raise awareness of epidemic
preparedness using science-based information and best practices for
disease prevention and response. Most recently, 3M released a white paper on best
practices for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) stockpiling
programs.
For more information about the 2021 State of Science Index
results, please visit www.3M.com/scienceindex.
About 3M
At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to
improve lives daily as our employees connect with customers all
around the world. Learn more about 3M's creative solutions to
global challenges at www.3M.com or on
Twitter @3M or @3MNews.
State of Science Survey Methodology
3M's State of Science Index presents original, independent, and
nationally representative (based on census
demographics) research in 2021, conducted by global research
firm Ipsos through a combination of online and offline
interviews. The 2021 Survey was conducted February 2-March 23, 2021 in 17 countries among
1,000 general population adults (18+) in each of the following
countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, China, France, Germany, India, Italy,
Japan, Mexico, Poland, Singapore, South
Korea, UAE, UK and the U.S. At the 95% confidence level, the
margin of error is +/- 0.8 percentage points at the global,
17-country level and +/- 3.1 percentage points for each individual
country. To compare across all waves of SOSI, a
10-country tracking average was used which has a margin of error of
+/- 1.0 percentage points. Countries within this average
include Brazil, Canada,
China, Germany, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Singapore, UK, and the U.S.
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SOURCE 3M