Comments on: Model scientists

By: sciencegeekgirl » Advice for girls in science & the meritocracy

sciencegeekgirl » Advice for girls in science & the meritocracy — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:51:13 +0000

[...] how isolated women are once they get tenure. Note too this recent post at Bad Astronomy about how lots of girls want to be scientists (yay!). A female scientist samples DNA, from scottfeldstein on [...]

By: International Women’s Day | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine

International Women’s Day | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 03:31:46 +0000

[...] wonder about sexism in a broader sense, too. Our society in the US is not the most encouraging for women. Just look at the screwed up body image advertising and such gives women; Jessica Simpson has [...]

By: SpikeNut

SpikeNut — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 23:34:00 +0000

I remember once wanting to be an astronomer. But three things stood in my way: ability, the desire to have a family, and ability. So I have to take pride in getting my degrees alone, rather than in being an actual practicing scientist.

SpikeNut

By: Law Mom

Law Mom — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:19:42 +0000

I went to college with Cindy Crawford. She was an valedictorian of her high school and an engineering major. She dropped out to model–the money was better.

I’d like to know if the survey question was open-ended or multiple choice, and if the latter, what the other choices were.

By: Cindy

Cindy — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:52:54 +0000

I remember in 9th grade saying I wanted to be an “astrophysicist”. I got blank looks from my teacher and peers. I say “You know, like Carl Sagan”. I technically became an observational astronomer rather than an astrophysicist, but got close.

I now teach high school, so am a science teacher rather than a scientist. But I hope that I influence more kids to become scientists rather than models.

By: Phil Plait

Phil Plait — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:58:15 +0000

Heidi? This Heidi? Hi! And thanks.

By: Heidi Andereson

Heidi Andereson — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 15:41:27 +0000

Hi Phil, it’s Heidi Anderson from Dragon Con. Great post. I still think there needs to be a scientist tabloid, something to make the kids interested in the people behind the glamourous career!

Seriously though, I think blogs like yours, Skepchick, Skepbitch, etc. are going to give a whole generation of kids the ability to find more suitable role models. I would have given anything to have Skepchick blog posts in junior high and high school.