Many of us appreciate that pernicious stereotypes about geeky physicists color the public’s perception of our field. But who among us is willing to take the necessary steps to shatter those stereotypes and show physicists for the dapper, charismatic heart-throbs they really are?
Fermilab theorist (and longtime CV reader) Mark Jackson, that’s who. As reported in symmetry‘s blog, Mark has been chosen one of Chicago Magazine’s 20 Most Eligible Singles. Now, we know Mark, and can assure you that he is the shy, dedicated sort, who would vastly prefer to be alone in his office looking for cosmic superstrings than to have his ruggedly handsome face splashed across a magazine page to be gawked at by wistful single women throughout the Midwest. But, he also understands the importance of public outreach, and is willing to do what it takes to advance the cause.
At the magazine party to celebrate the feature, we have a reliable report that at least one woman threw her panties onto the stage as Mark was called up. As we say, whatever it takes.
July 12th, 2008 at 11:55 pm
So the idea of a smart white guy as ‘eminently eligible’ is NOT a stereotype? Yeah, right.
July 13th, 2008 at 12:38 am
Funny how students take after their mentors habits. B Greene’s influence at work!
July 13th, 2008 at 5:09 am
Kea, obviously you have never tried being a smart white guy: It’s NOT.
July 13th, 2008 at 5:14 am
(take that last comment with a smiley
July 13th, 2008 at 7:25 am
i went through profiles of some of the other 19 “eligible singles” and, well….eeek! with luck, there will probably be five ceos of the-next-enron from that list. novelty apart, do physicists really want to part of such a racket? if this considered progress, it is lamentable indeed that such consumer fetishism has taken over.
July 14th, 2008 at 1:24 am
The Fermilab theory group seems to have a good track record with this sort of thing.
July 14th, 2008 at 7:23 am
I date a cute geeky physicist. There are lots of women out there who want men like this…..I caught mine in a rare moment when he left his computer to see the outside world briefly, grabbed him before he could retreat back into solitude.
July 14th, 2008 at 8:57 am
one woman threw her panties up on stagee? are you sure it wasn’t a g-superstring?
July 14th, 2008 at 11:40 am
An astronomer buddy of mine at Johns Hopkins made a similar “most eligible bachelors” list in Baltimore Magazine several years ago. My thinking is that these lifestyle magazines really like to throw a smart person into the mix, and astrophysicists always make the cut because the public sees astrophysicist (he was actually a rocket scientist) as the pinnacle of “smart.” And astronomy is probably the sexist science as far as public interest goes too.
We of course all had a good laugh. I hope he still lists it on his CV. =]
July 14th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Fermilab seems to get all the hot young male physicists. First Rocky ala Dr. December of the Studmuffins, and now this.
And I can also vouch for the panties story, since I heard it from a very reliable source.
July 15th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
I’m pretty sure I saw that guy hooking up with a Cylon.