• Question: Do you think that the steriotypes of scientists are posative or negative?

    Asked by purplebug123 to Adam, Catherine, Karen, Leila, Nazim on 15 Mar 2012.
    • Photo: Adam Stevens

      Adam Stevens answered on 14 Mar 2012:

      I think they’re generally pretty neutral.

      Thinking that scientists are nerdy weirdos that wear lab coats all the time is a bit outdated, but unfortunately it’s actually true some of the time…

    • Photo: Karen Masters

      Karen Masters answered on 14 Mar 2012:

      I think they are negative if they put anyone off doing science if thats what they’re interested in.

      I personally get a bit frustrated that the stereotypes are all so male, and I find myself dealing with people’s surprise that I’m a female scientist (and even one who’s married and has children). Part of the reason I like to do school visits is to confront those stereotypes with an example which does not fit them.

      None of the scientists I know wear lab coats. Many of them are really interesting people with a wide variety of interests outside of their work in science. Very few of them are what you might call nerdy wierdos in my experience.

    • Photo: Leila Battison

      Leila Battison answered on 14 Mar 2012:

      I don’t think they’re accurate at least!

      Stereotypes that portray scientists as nerdy and weird are pretty negative I suppose, but there is only one scientist in my entire department like that. The rest of us are pretty normal, at least I think!

    • Photo: Catherine Rix

      Catherine Rix answered on 15 Mar 2012:

      Scientists are a very diverse bunch of people. We come in all shapes and sizes. I think it’s really important to change the scientist stereotype, from the nutty professor in the white lab coat, as I think it can put people off considering science as a career

    • Photo: Nazim Bharmal

      Nazim Bharmal answered on 21 Mar 2012:

      Both.

      You get TV shows like the Big Bang theory, which show slightly weird people (and scientists are a bit different, they have to be) but also people like Brian Cox who is, basically, normal. (He used to be a pop star!)

      I hope we don’t look or sound too odd, intimidating, or plain weird to you! (I’m looking at the pictures of Adam and Leila right now!) :-p

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