Teachers, scientists and doctors ranked the top three professionals held in high esteem and were the most desired careers for the next generation, according to the latest public survey on scientific awareness.

The Shanghai Association for Science and Technology asked questions of 1,500 adults from 18 to 69.

Of the respondents, 47.7 percent ranked teachers top of the list, 46.2 percent chose scientists and 40 percent chose doctors.

These professions ranked much higher in public reputation than government officials, rated fourth with 18.1 percent.

The result was similar to a 2005 survey which ranked the top status careers as scientific researchers, doctors and teachers, association officials said.

The other top 10 professionals held in high regard were engineers, judges, entrepreneurs, artists, lawyers and athletes, the survey showed.

The most popular careers that people chose for their children were medicine, teaching and science, the survey found.

"I want my daughter to be a teacher. It's a good job for girls because it's a stable career and pay keeps rising," said one mother in the survey surnamed Sun who has a 13-year-old daughter.

Most of those surveyed, 78.9 percent, put global warming as their top concern. This was followed by water pollution and air quality.

More than 30 percent of those surveyed were highly interested in news about environmental pollution and treatment. This indicated that residents had a high awareness of the need to protect the environment, officials said.

But the survey also shows the city's science education facilities are not well used. In the past year, most people visited such attractions as the zoo, aquarium and botanical gardens.

However, 68.1 percent of respondents had not visited the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum and 67.9 percent had not been to Shanghai Museum in the past year.

This was the association's eighth scientific survey since 1991.

(Shanghai Daily September 21, 2009)