

One change I find occurring is a shift—stemming from where I'm not sure—in the cultural caricature of a scientist. It is a shift away from an arguably negative and nerdy portrayal towards a more socially favorable one (a change that is understandably welcomed by the older generation of scientists who struggled against stereotypes involving pocket protectors and poor social skills). But inasmuch as society's view of scientists remains a mere caricature, it stands in the way of a fuller acceptance of what 'scientist' can mean.



The problem is that, when replacing one stereotype with another, a stereotype is still what we're left with. Allowing for the definition of 'scientist' to include passion and energy is helpful, yes, but the problem really stems from trying to define 'scientist' in the first place. 'Describe the average scientist' is about as reasonable a request as 'describe the average color'. Our population is too vast, too diverse, too ill-defined, and too non-overlapping to be characterized properly by some kind of Platonic form. An arrival at a scientific career can be preceded by unknowably many paths, and the style and skills employed once there are equally diverse. One needn't have tinkered as a kid to do science as an adult, and the science one does may involve everything from trekking through wildlife collecting samples to sitting at a computer writing code.



Rather than attempting to present a unified vision of what a scientist is, the scientific community and the public would be better served by embracing the diversity and complexity that is the truth of the scientific population. The notion that there are some qualities, some 'spark' required to be in science creates a false sense of a divide between scientists and non-scientists and runs counter to the intention of encouraging more people to take interest in the subject.



Image: Neill DeGrasse Tyson image is in the public domain, obtained from http://www.blackpast.org/?q=aah/tyson-neil-de-grasse-1958