New Relevance for the New Century

小行星9319015 地理科学在美国的经济、政治和社会生活中起着中心作用。 它也成为美国教育改革的一个主要焦点，在1990年总统和州长通过的国家教育目标中被指定为美国学校的五个核心科目之一。 然而，这门学科现在面临着几个重大挑战。 这些挑战包括： - 将地理学作为一门科学与基层对地理素养的兴趣联系起来， - 加强地理学术与地理教育之间的联系， - 满足对地理教育者的需求，使地理学家的研究更多地集中在国家和全球问题上， - 澄清地理学作为一门学科相对于许多部分地理学多学科活动的作用， - 应对地理科学研究的高成本。 在NSF和其他组织的支持下，美国国家科学院/国家研究理事会（NAS/NRC）将召集一个委员会对美国地理进行全面评估。评估的目标是（1）确定该学科的关键问题和限制，（2）澄清教学和研究的优先事项，（3）将学科的发展与国家对地理教育的需要联系起来，（4）提高科学界对地理的认识，以及（5）与国际科学界就美国地理学的未来发展方向进行交流。学术、公共和私营部门。 委员会将通过简报、实况调查和讨论，编写一份总结调查结果的报告。 该报告将接受NAS/NRC的审查程序，并将随时提供给地理学家和其他人。 这个项目将提供一个宝贵的和及时的审查的前景和面临的地理问题。 特别有益的将是关于研究优先事项的建议和可以采取的步骤，以更密切地联系地理学的基础研究和应用研究。 ***

9319015 CROWLEY The scientific discipline of geography plays a central role in economic, political, and social life in the United States. It also has become a major focus of educational reform in the nation, having been designated as one of five core subjects for American schools in the National Education Goals adopted by the President and state governors in 1990. Several significant challenges now face the discipline, however. Among these challenges are: - connecting geography as a science with grassroots interest in geographic literacy, - strengthening the relationship between geographic scholarship and geographic education, - meeting the demand for geographic educators, focusing more research by geographers on national and global issues, - clarifying the role of geography as a discipline relative to the many partly geographic multidisciplinary activities, and - coping with the higher costs of scientific research in geography. With support from NSF and other organizations, the National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council (NAS/NRC) will convene a committee to conduct a comprehensive assessment of geography in the U.S. The objectives of the assessment are (1) to identify critical issues and constraints for the discipline, (2) to clarify priorities for teaching and research, (3) to link developments in the discipline with national needs for geographic education, (4) to increase the appreciation of geography within the scientific community, and (5) to communicate with the international scientific community about the future directions of geography in the U.S. Committee members will be drawn from the academic, public, and private sectors. The committee will use briefings, fact-finding exercises, and discussions to produce a report that will summarize its findings. This report will be subject to NAS/NRC review procedures and will be readily available to geographers and others. This project will provide a valuable and timely examination of the prospects and problems facing geography. Especially beneficial will be recommendations regarding research priorities and steps that can be taken to more closely link basic and applied research in geography. ***