• Question: Is being a scientist like the stereotypical one, who wears a white lab coat and huge glasses with crazy hair? What is your opinion on this stereotype?

    Asked by lozsciencegleek to MarkF, Mark, Michael, Panos, Sarah on 22 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Mark Fogg

      Mark Fogg answered on 22 Jun 2010:

      Course it is, we’re all as mad as fruit bats!! 😉

      Seriously though, It’s clearly a bad stereotype I hope we’ve helped dispel a little with this event. I think science may have more than its fair share of eccentrics, can’t put my finger on why that is, but we ‘Cleaners’ look pretty normal to me.
      I agree with Ben Goldacre and what he says in his ‘Bad Science’ book. The media like to deal in stereotypes and because lots of them didn’t do science, they appear to have a tendency to treat the audience/readers as idiots. They seem to assume the public don’t want to hear much of the detail and make scientists out to be a bit mad, bad and dangerous to know. Yes we wear lab coats and specks (if we work in a lab), certainly not a good look, but pretty essential to keep nasties in the lab and us safe. You can look upon it as our uniform, much in the same way a copper, a soldier or a postman would wear one.

      As you rightly stated it’s a stereotype, probably largely stemming from the early 20th century, thanks to the likes of Einstein. ‘Famous’ scientists today are probably more representative.

    • Photo: Sarah Burl

      Sarah Burl answered on 22 Jun 2010:

      Some aspects of the stereotype are accurate but not all people are the same. Scientists do tend to question everything so can be a bit annoying in arguments. They do get focused on their own work and think it is the most important thing in the universe, others may not agree but they may not notice this!
      However looks-wise you don’t see many scientists wearing designer gear probably because they don’t get paid enough but I like the fact you get so many different and unusual people in science who are passionate about what they do, it makes for interesting coffee times. I got quite bored of working as a consultant in london when most people were similar to each other and the women just talked about losing weight – not my thing!
      You do have to wear a white coat though, goes with the job!!

    • Photo: Michael Loughlin

      Michael Loughlin answered on 22 Jun 2010:

      I think we have Einstein to that for that…but he also popularised science hugely so its swings and roundabout..
      The first scientists i heard of Magnus pyke and Heinz Wolf both fitted that stereotype..but in our Labs…white coats and glasses for safety yes….crazy hair…not so much…
      I think some programmes are changing the view (CSI, NCIS, BONES etc ) but its still a handy stereotype to use in the media
      I still like bunsen and beaker from the muppets and Doc Brown from back to the future so its good to laugh at yourself sometimes

    • Photo: Panos Soultanas

      Panos Soultanas answered on 22 Jun 2010:

      Hi there,

      This stereotype is far removed from reality. Scientists are not like this. Perhaps science is not getting the good publicity it deserves and this is one of the main reasons I have decided to participate in this scheme and talk to young people directly.

      Scientists are just like all other people with different looks and personalities. We all have a variety of interests outside science, we have families and partners, and enjoy many things in life. Science is the coolest thing I have ever learned and done. If you think about it science and technology make the world what it is today.

      I do wear a white lab coat in the lab for safety reasons but I certainly do not have crazy hair and huge glasses…!

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