Questions and thoughts about science and scientists

Students enrolled in the Nanotechnology program are advanced students from all over the world. The group is diverse all be it small usually. I like to see them as prospective scientists, becoming one by living, learning and working with experienced scientists.

Most of us -including me- grow up within a culture, an educational concept, comprising implicite assumptions on the nature of science itself, its position in society, the role of a scientist and so on. One of the objectives of this course is to make us aware of those implicite assumptions.

To me science is about asking questions, and that is just what I intend to do, this class, asking questions about science and scientists. I don't have "the" answers, since I am convinced that most of the answers are dependent on the culture you work in, you live in, the domain you're active in.

But then, also my questions -and assumptions- are colored by a culture, being raised in the Netherlands, working there. We like our students to think for themselves, to be critical (in a constructive way), to be independent.

On the other hand, my questions are also inspired by the division in higher education here in the Netherlands between academic (university) and higher vocational education, which is not the same as a division between natural science and applied science. I think most people in the Netherlands especially those working/teaching/researching on a University of Technology FEEL a difference, but cannot explain it.

From that background came my question about the differences between science, technology, technique, the differences (in role) between a scientist, technologist and a technician.
This question did not result in a very fruitfull discussion: I was hit by my own implicitness, could not make it clear.