Chris Mooney dropped me a line about the Rock Stars of Science campaign. He says:
Rock Stars of Science™ is another Geoffrey Beene initiative, designed to raise the visibility of our leading researchers by pairing them with musicians–and showing that scientists rock and are themselves celebrities and superstars.
I think this is excellent – when I go into the public schools to do outreach, students are amazed that I am a scientist, because they seriously do envision those stereotypes from The Big Bang Theory. And I am a nerdy white lady. I can only imagine how much their minds would be blown if I were Latin@ like the majority of the students, or actually cool.
So yes! Rock stars + science! But when I flipped through the scientists nominated, I didn’t see any ocean scientists. Ocean scientists are natural rock stars – piloting submarines, mapping underwater volcanoes, saving fisheries, and even seeking cures for cancer. (*ahem*)
So, my DSN pretties, nominate your favorite ocean scientist right here. Extra points if they’re not a white dude like every single one of the current Rock Docs!
The campaign is also looking for scientists who are also musicians, like our own Kevin Zelnio. Send an email to [email protected]. Include: your name, e-mail address, short bio including research specialty & additional weblinks.
I hate to be snarky about a good cause, but that scientist holding a Christmas plate on the front page isn’t doing the “Rock Stars of Science” conceit any favors.
Me!!! But Im a white dude so I don’t count apparently. Damn it.
OMG, can I be nominated as the Lady Gaga of science??? I know all the choreography to Bad Romance, and it would give me an excuse to by some more killer shoes! Miriam is right, we definitely need some representation by funky young females…
I still think they have it backwards. I think they should put the rockstars in the lab, in the field, or on a boat and get them helping the scientists and seeing what it is all about rather than having the scientists fawning all over the musicians.
However, if that’s not to happen, then absolutely, let’s get more diversity of scientists out there!
Would it be fair to include Dr. Greg Graffin of UCLA? He is, kind of like, a rock star and a scientist.
Definitely! Greg is a great example of someone balancing his life between being a Rockstar (singer for Bad Religion and solo artist) and a scientist (lecturer at UCLA).
I think this is a great idea, but unless I am missing something, I believe this contest is specifically geared towards medical doctors and researchers looking to cure cancer and other diseases. Their mission is to: “Make investment in medical research a national priority, accelerate therapies across diseases, stand together and refuse to accept “no cure” as an answer”. I think us marine scientist types will have to find another way to become science rock stars.