NCSE's outgoing executive director Eugenie C. Scott was interviewed for the December 2013 issue of Americans United for Separation of Church and State's magazine Church & State. Scott discussed a variety of issues with Americans United's Rob Boston, including what works and what needs to improve in science education, how creationist strategies have changed over the years, why it is important to understand evolution ("a basic component of the knowledge of educated people"), where American antievolutionism originated and what sustains it in existence, and what the most important thing the average person can do to defend good science education in public schools. The interview concluded with Scott's answering a question about what's next on her agenda: "I'm going to spend about six months considering various suggestions but trying not to commit myself to anything right off. Still, I have speaking engagements through October 2014, so the creationists (and climate change deniers) will still have me to kick around for a while yet!" Scott will retire (and become chair of NCSE's Advisory Council) at the end of 2013; Ann Reid will become the new executive director at the beginning of 2014.
December 2, 2013