Deb Chachra, PhD
Associate Professor Of Materials Science
Olin College of Engineering
1- Do you think there is a stereotype that most scientists are white males? Why or why not?
I do think that such a stereotype exists in the United States. This has been demonstrated by asking students (like you!) to draw pictures of scientists—very often, students draw a white male. Another way to demonstrate this is to do a Google Image Search on the word ‘scientist’ (although I am delighted to see that there are many more women and people of color than there were a few years ago!). You can look at portrayals of scientists in movies and TV shows—very often, they are white men. And finally, researchers at Harvard University have run studies of ‘implicit association’ that demonstrate that most people are more likely to associate men with being scientists than women. These are just some examples from a large body of evidence that suggests that a stereotype exists.
2- What motivated you to want to be a scientist?
As long as I can remember, I was interested in how the world works. I’ve wanted to be a scientist or an engineer since I was a little kid. Because I was so interested in it, I spent a lot of time learning about math and science and got good at it, and because I was good at it, I liked it and wanted to do it more. I also took opportunities to do science on my own, whether it was learning about stars and going outside to find and name them, or doing a science fair project about why Wint-O-Green Lifesavers give off light when you crunch them. My scientific research is in biological materials (for example, a type of plastic made by bees) and I’m motivated by trying to find and understand these cool structures made by nature.
3- To be a scientist do you have to dedicate your time more than another job? Why or why not?
Well, being a scientist is not a nine-to-five job, so yes, scientists work more than some people (although there are lots of jobs that require more time). The real difference is not that you have to dedicate more time, but that often you want to. Most scientists are happy and excited about their work, feel like their research is making a difference to the world, and are friends with other people who are working in the same field. And scientists often think about the problem they are working on when they are not ‘officially’ working, like when they are exercising or are in the shower. So it’s less about how many hours you work, and more about why you’re working those hours (usually because you want to, not because someone is making you, so it feels very different).
Associate Professor Of Materials Science
Olin College of Engineering
1- Do you think there is a stereotype that most scientists are white males? Why or why not?
I do think that such a stereotype exists in the United States. This has been demonstrated by asking students (like you!) to draw pictures of scientists—very often, students draw a white male. Another way to demonstrate this is to do a Google Image Search on the word ‘scientist’ (although I am delighted to see that there are many more women and people of color than there were a few years ago!). You can look at portrayals of scientists in movies and TV shows—very often, they are white men. And finally, researchers at Harvard University have run studies of ‘implicit association’ that demonstrate that most people are more likely to associate men with being scientists than women. These are just some examples from a large body of evidence that suggests that a stereotype exists.
2- What motivated you to want to be a scientist?
As long as I can remember, I was interested in how the world works. I’ve wanted to be a scientist or an engineer since I was a little kid. Because I was so interested in it, I spent a lot of time learning about math and science and got good at it, and because I was good at it, I liked it and wanted to do it more. I also took opportunities to do science on my own, whether it was learning about stars and going outside to find and name them, or doing a science fair project about why Wint-O-Green Lifesavers give off light when you crunch them. My scientific research is in biological materials (for example, a type of plastic made by bees) and I’m motivated by trying to find and understand these cool structures made by nature.
3- To be a scientist do you have to dedicate your time more than another job? Why or why not?
Well, being a scientist is not a nine-to-five job, so yes, scientists work more than some people (although there are lots of jobs that require more time). The real difference is not that you have to dedicate more time, but that often you want to. Most scientists are happy and excited about their work, feel like their research is making a difference to the world, and are friends with other people who are working in the same field. And scientists often think about the problem they are working on when they are not ‘officially’ working, like when they are exercising or are in the shower. So it’s less about how many hours you work, and more about why you’re working those hours (usually because you want to, not because someone is making you, so it feels very different).