There is much, and some say way too much, talk about Healthcare. I sometimes feel that we're scaring people into an unhealthy state of mind. And the discussions about Healthcare's needed reforms nearly exclusively address cost and fees and funding related programs. I never hear much wisdom about serious, large scale programs centered on prevention or an approach to inspire healthy living amongst our citizens. We have a sort of, 'hey, we need more money to help or we're going broke helping unhealthy people.' I'd prefer some attention to us not becoming unhealthy as 60% of the nation's medical bills stem from some form of self-inflicted harm, usually food, drug or alcohol abuse.
Aten is a start-up in the RTP housed in the Park Research Center on Alexander Drive. Taking advantage of the strength of the gaming community in our RTP, our topic in the first program of the semester, they are making a business of adapting gaming models and interfaces for middle school education. My guest will be Thomas Vaidhyan, Founder and CEO of Aten. We'll talk about his company's purpose and composition as well as his success and obstacles in helping North Carolina take advantage of the national educational emphasis on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). I assure you that you'll find Thomas to be a well-rounded and interesting guest. /cp
"What does music and musicians from our university's History Department have to do with Science in the Triangle?" was Tessa's reaction to my guest list for this coming Sunday. My reply and idea is that SIT is intended to help to dispel the notion that science in our region is only about bio-engineering and genomics and nanotechnologies that daunt to the point where we forget that the woman next to us in Harris Teeter may be one of these scientists. Plus, an interesting tenant of the Research Triangle Park is The National Center for the Humanities and it was not located there by accident.
Tessa of Blue Pane Studio and I partner with the RTP Foundation to sponsor www.scienceinthetriangle.org. Its mission is to offer people who are curious about science, but not necessarily scientists, a place to find out what is happening in related ways around our RTP. While promoting SIT, it occurred to me that many academics and scientists have an interest and talent for music. Obvious to many at our station, of course.