Dismantling the stereotype of the "Crazy Scientist"

What comes to people’s minds when you say the word scientist? Chances are most people picture a middle-aged white man toiling away in a dark, mysterious laboratory. He’s likely wearing a lab coat (either pristine white or covered in who knows what) and has crazy hair in need of a good brushing. This is the image of the scientist most often portrayed in film and TV. The socially awkward misfit who is rude and abrasive to everyone he meets and clueless about the real world around him. He’s often up to no good and has no moral compass. If this is what most people really believe about scientists then it is no wonder that scientific progress is under attack in the US and Canada.

I have two kids who like to play with LEGO. I was therefore happy to hear that LEGO would soon be putting out a new series called “Research Institute” that features female scientists. I can only hope that this will serve to counteract the “Crazy Scientist” that appeared in the Series 4 set of minifigs that hits all of the stereotypical characteristics that I just described above.

I was again reminded of this stereotype this morning when looking at my Twitter feed. It turns out that a Greek yogurt company Chobani has been putting messages under the lids of its products. One read “Nature got us to 100 calories, not scientists.” Understandably many scientists saw this as a direct attack on themselves and on science and mobilized an effective campaign to get rid of the offensive slogan. The company would do well to remember that many scientists are involved in the making of their product, whether they are engineers working to improve efficiency of the production line, biologists working to improve the texture, flavour, and development of the yogurt, or chemists involved in synthesizing the plastic containers that it’s packaged in.

Guess what? Scientists are people too. We have friends and family. We have hobbies. We have morals and beliefs. The person sitting next to you on the bus is a scientist. The person voting in the same poll as you is a scientist. The person coaching your child in little league baseball is a scientist. When I teach and train students in my laboratory I am showing them that the stereotype is incorrect. I specifically address and dismantle it in one of my courses.

I think science is awesome, but then again I am a scientist. I see the beauty and wonder of science all around me every day, and I appreciate that science allows me to live a healthy life by providing me access to clean water, sturdy shelter, nutritious food, and effective health care. What can we do as scientists to halt the disturbing trend of vilifying science and scientists that is in full swing in our neighbour to the south and is starting the sweep north into Canada? Perhaps the place to start is to deconstruct the stereotype of what it means to be a scientist.

Dr. Allison McDonald (@AEMcDonaldWLU) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. This story was published on June 11, 2014, on Dr. McDonald’s blog, Doctor AI (available here) and has been republished here with her permission.