Editor's Note

The large number of us who almost proudly call ourselves "non-NSM people" have unfortunately been put off by the widespread, socially constructed myths about science. A few lousy grammar school teachers and it's settled: science is shrouded in mystery, untouchable to all but the ambitious few who spend their lives poking and probing away in some sterile lab that stinks of formaldehyde. The consequences of our false conceptions are serious. They serve to reinforce the already inflexible boundaries which define academic disciplines. At Wesleyan, we are not encouraged enough to explore the connections which are inherent to all courses of study. In some ways, the very structure here (the HA, SBS, NSM division, for example) breeds a fragmented experience on both the personal and academic level.

Hopefully, Synthesis will provide a forum for the breaking down of such carefully defined spaces. The magazine represents a broad spectrum of work in the Wesleyan community; students and professors employ genres here which range from short story to academic paper to personal essay to interview. The intent is to illuminate a variety of means for both the thinking about science and the savoring of its implications. Originally a science newspaper which appeared once or twice a semester, this issue is a re-vision made possible by a grant from the Hughes Foundation for the Life Sciences. With spurred interest, I'd imagine Synthesis may undergo many more exciting changes.

Enjoy!