Can Geologists Bridge the Gap Between Islamic Countries and the Western World?
Osman Shinaishin, a National Science Foundation senior program officer who funds geoscience projects, thinks so. A native of Egypt who came to the U.S. in the late 1950s to attend graduate school, Shinaishin believes geoscientists have a unique opportunity to improve understanding across cultures because of the nature of their science. He will present his views at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America in Denver, CO, on Monday, Oct. 28. Emphasizing that his opinions are his own and not those of the National Science Foundation, Shinaishin says there are valid reasons for the difficulties experienced between western and Islamic cultures. But geoscientists, and especially those who work in the field, have a unique opportunity to know both the land and the people who live on it when working in other countries. According to Shinaishin, “Geoscientists are among the most keen regarding respect for nature and the desire to learn about it. They study its interaction with the pe
