Madam, - Your Editorial of August 18th on students playing it safe in their CAO choices repeats an error that we see all too often in the media, the vast majority of whose denizens are from outside the science sector.
You say that "science needs to divest itself of its 'geeky' image among students". This view is wrong, counter-productive and frankly insulting to those who currently work in the science, engineering and technology sectors.
Has it never occurred to the powers that be that what we should be doing is encouraging people to revel in their geekiness? When the ICT sector had its peak of media interest at the turn of the millennium, nerdishness and geekiness were all too briefly seen for the positive qualities they encapsulated: curiosity, single-mindedness, attention to detail, openness, perseverance and basing one's arguments on the facts.
Sadly for us all, too few of our elected representatives and prominent figures are geeks: geeks take their time and do things properly.
Continuing to paint those working in the broad science-based fields as some sort of impediment to its growth feeds the bias that already exists. We should encourage children to release their inner geek. We'd all be the better for it.
- Yours, etc,
DANIEL SULLIVAN, Abbeyvale, Corbally, Limerick.