The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer: Earlier this month, 7,500 Arizona students were asking a lot of questions at SARSEFs 65th (nearly virtual) Science and Engineering Fair — and solving most of them. This week, I’m wondering how COVID-19 will affect the types of projects we’ll see NEXT year. Smart families are using their time together to start on their research projects now. And the rest of us? We’re just having some fun observing “what’s different?” Do city streets seem less busy now? I wonder if the insurance companies will lower our rates with fewer auto accidents reported. Will our forced free time lead to an increase in the use of national parks? Have we finally learned our neighbors’ names because we’re hanging outside and walking the dog a lot more? And how different are the reactions of our cats and dogs when their daily routines are interrupted? Hint — dogs love it, cats seemed a little ticked off because you’re in their daytime napping chair At the grocery store, can we figure out WHY certain shelves are totally empty and others aren’t? I get staples that won’t go bad like rice and pasta but ... Can we predict the next crazed buying trend? Once the “TP Scare of 2020” fades will it be another TP – toothpaste — or something equally random that gets snatched up? And I wonder if the price of toilet paper will go up — and if the law of supply and demand necessitates martial law. Will we see an increase in the sale of home hair color or will we learn our coworkers’ true hair color? Or will women over 50 decide gray roots are cool? How long will it take for us to emulate our Depression-era grandmas with secret canned goods stockpiles stashed away in high cabinets? And how are those alcohol sales doing? Has there been an increase in social media? Will extroverts discover what introverts have known for years — sometimes being alone is nice? How will kids remember this year — as a time they bonded with their parents or a time being scared? As parents home school more, will Arizona test scores go up — or down? Will your sister tell you how many dug-up worms it takes to make a mother go mad? Or will your brother count how many rapid-fire questions one kid can ask before he decides they CAN go watch TV? Certainly, the next referendum asking for increased teacher pay WILL be approved now that parents been locked up with their own kids. I heard one parent even requested a transfer to another teacher’s classroom. I wonder if donations to Goodwill will increase as some see this as the perfect opportunity for the couples to “have fun” cleaning closets and sheds together. Will the divorce rate go up? Or will more babies be born in January? Will some of us finally learn to cook as restaurants are closed? On a more serious note, as we’re all being careful about hugging and handshakes now, will the number of reported flu cases also decrease this year? And will that lesson stick? Will SARSEF itself see any changes or trends in projects that examine testing for the COVID-19? Or students studying the effectiveness of new vaccines? Will a SARSEF student determine which model are mathematically most predictive? Or how false rumors get started and go viral — literally? There’s a world of questions out there – and a world of science to answer them. Let’s see if the kids at SARSEF can help us figure all this out by this time next year.
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The following is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
Earlier this month, 7,500 Arizona students were asking a lot of questions at SARSEFs 65th (nearly virtual) Science and Engineering Fair — and solving most of them.
This week, I’m wondering how COVID-19 will affect the types of projects we’ll see NEXT year.
Smart families are using their time together to start on their research projects now.
And the rest of us?
We’re just having some fun observing “what’s different?”
Do city streets seem less busy now? I wonder if the insurance companies will lower our rates with fewer auto accidents reported.
Will our forced free time lead to an increase in the use of national parks?
Have we finally learned our neighbors’ names because we’re hanging outside and walking the dog a lot more?
And how different are the reactions of our cats and dogs when their daily routines are interrupted? Hint — dogs love it, cats seemed a little ticked off because you’re in their daytime napping chair
At the grocery store, can we figure out WHY certain shelves are totally empty and others aren’t? I get staples that won’t go bad like rice and pasta but ...
Can we predict the next crazed buying trend? Once the “TP Scare of 2020” fades will it be another TP – toothpaste — or something equally random that gets snatched up?
And I wonder if the price of toilet paper will go up — and if the law of supply and demand necessitates martial law.
Will we see an increase in the sale of home hair color or will we learn our coworkers’ true hair color? Or will women over 50 decide gray roots are cool?
How long will it take for us to emulate our Depression-era grandmas with secret canned goods stockpiles stashed away in high cabinets?
And how are those alcohol sales doing?
Has there been an increase in social media?
Will extroverts discover what introverts have known for years — sometimes being alone is nice?
How will kids remember this year — as a time they bonded with their parents or a time being scared?
As parents home school more, will Arizona test scores go up — or down?
Will your sister tell you how many dug-up worms it takes to make a mother go mad?
Or will your brother count how many rapid-fire questions one kid can ask before he decides they CAN go watch TV?
Certainly, the next referendum asking for increased teacher pay WILL be approved now that parents been locked up with their own kids. I heard one parent even requested a transfer to another teacher’s classroom.
I wonder if donations to Goodwill will increase as some see this as the perfect opportunity for the couples to “have fun” cleaning closets and sheds together.
Will the divorce rate go up?
Or will more babies be born in January?
Will some of us finally learn to cook as restaurants are closed?
On a more serious note, as we’re all being careful about hugging and handshakes now, will the number of reported flu cases also decrease this year? And will that lesson stick?
Will SARSEF itself see any changes or trends in projects that examine testing for the COVID-19?
Or students studying the effectiveness of new vaccines?
Will a SARSEF student determine which model are mathematically most predictive?
Or how false rumors get started and go viral — literally?
There’s a world of questions out there – and a world of science to answer them. Let’s see if the kids at SARSEF can help us figure all this out by this time next year.
Kathleen Bethel
Kathleen Bethel is a retired CEO of SARSEF, a nonprofit that is changing the world by creating the next generation of problems solvers through science. She was a 2018 Public Voices Fellow with the OpEd Project.
Kathleen Bethel is a retired CEO of SARSEF, a nonprofit that is changing the world by creating the next generation of problems solvers through science. She was a 2018 Public Voices Fellow with the OpEd Project.
