A gap in funding and public perception
The works of Einstein and Hawking are often thought of as the pinnacle of the human intellect. (XKCD comic) Yet in the public sphere, people are often expected to know more about history and the arts, than about natural sciences and mathematics, perhaps because the latter ones are for “experts” only.
On the other hand, there is a funding gap between the humanities and the sciences in many colleges, as higher education is expected to emphasise the STEM subjects. As Fareed Zakaria points out in this interview, skills and knowledge in the humanities may be of central importance to a workforce in the future (American) economy.
What is causing this paradoxical gap in public perception? What kind of balance between the humanities and the sciences will produce an adaptable member of society and economy? What should colleges and research universities do?