Scientists
Rani A. Perales
Kaplan University

Scientists Scientists. How would you define a scientist? According to Merriam-Webster, a scientist is “a person who is trained in a science and whose job involves doing scientific research or solving scientific problems” (2015). Now, how would you envision a scientist? Could there be a long-term impact because of how the media makes fictional scientists look? The media has portrayed scientists in many different ways, and can influence how people view scientists. Also, the media can even influence how scientists view certain research and technology. When the word scientist comes to mind I tend to think of Temperance Brennan from the television show, Bones played by Emily Deschanel. She is extremely brilliant, has no sense of humor, very head strong, emotionally detached, and yet somehow finds love. Another scientist that I found interesting is Adrian Helmsley from the movie “2012,” played by Chiwetel Ejiofor. He too is a brilliant man, full of compassion, and wanting to help others. The likeness they both have is how they want to find the answers to help people. He wants the right answers to try to save humanity and she wants the right answers to help find people’s identities and put away murderers. When I think about a scientist I think of someone who is intelligent; they would have to be, to think and figure out their research and explain how they see their work. They would have to be open-minded; they would neet to be in case they needed to alter their hypothesis or theory. Lastly, they would need to be extremely patient. It could take years for their work to be complete and they must never give up. Over the years my views on how I imagined what a scientist looks like and how they work has changed. I use to think that a scientist was an old, crazy man in a laboratory filled with all kinds of experiments. Watching old movies had me thinking that all scientists were odd and crazy. As I grew, I found that scientists were brilliant people; people who can see the world so differently. They are very creative, curious, and determined when it comes to the work they are doing. I believe reading and watching certain shows changed my mind on how scientists look and what they do. I think most children get the impression that scientists are a little mad, but as they grow, they learn how important scientists really are. When it comes to how the media portrays scientists I would say they make them both villains and heroes. A villain that comes to mind is Dr. Griffin, the invisible man. “Griffin was a young, brilliant student that had albinism that studied optical density. Not wanting to share the credit for the work he was doing with his professor; Griffin decides to leave school and move so he can work on his experiment alone, stealing money from his father for funds. In doing this, his father commits suicide since the money did not belong to him. He ends up inventing a formula that bends light and decreases the refractive index of physical objects causing them to be invisible. Feeling like he is running out of time due to a nosy landlord; he injects himself first, becomes invisible, and sets his apartment building on fire to cover his tracks. He ends up finding it hard to survive since no one is able to see him. He steals items/clothing so he can be seen and finds residence at a pub and attempts to find an antidote to reverse his invisible status. Not able to pay his bill, he decides to rob a home, gets caught, and reveals his invisibility to escape from the police. Losing his mind from not being able to reverse the invisibility, he finds a homeless man, Thomas Marvel, to manage his money, but Marvel only steals Griffin’s money. Running into an old friend, Dr. Kemp, he tries to convince Kemp to help him begin a “reign of terror” on society. Rather than helping Griffin he tells Colonel Adye about Griffin, which infuriates him, vowing to kill Kemp. Kemp gathers the people of the town, find Griffin, and beat him to death. As Griffin dies he finally becomes visible again” (Wikipedia, 2015). Griffin became so obsessed with his work that he stole, committed arson, and eventually tried to commit murder. A hero scientist that comes to mind is Professor Jack Hall from the movie “The Day After Tomorrow.” “Jack is a paleoclimatologist that is drilling for ice-core samples in Antarctica with his partners when the ice breaks apart. He later shows his findings on global warming at a United Nations conference, but fails to convince anyone with power to believe his research. However, a Professor named Terry Rapson believes Jack’s theories. Rapson finds that melting polar ice has disrupted the North Atlantic current and contacts Jack to show how the climate change caused the first Ice Age. His team and NASA’s own meteorologist Janet Tokada, build a forecast model. Jack’s son, Sam, is visiting New York with his school and end’s up trapped in a library with many other people. When Jack finally gets in touch with Sam, he and his partners, decide to venture many miles to rescue his son and the remaining group who decided to stay with Sam. He overcomes many obstacles, including the death of one of his partners, but finds his son and friends alive” (Wikipedia, 2015). Jack was very brave, not just for saving his son and friends, but for having the courage to stand up and try to save everyone on this planet. I believe that science is portrayed in a positive way; even when it is bad, it is good. I think that all science is good, but can fall into evil hands. The science that I find most intriguing would be the CSI television shows. Being able to use forensic evidence to find people, cause of death, how certain scenarios happen. Without scientists coming up with different ways to use forensic evidence we would not be able to solve crimes or find people who are missing with DNA. So, even though at times it could be misleading, for the majority of the time, this type of science is in our favor. Another example would be from the movie, Outbreak. The Motaba virus has a 100% mortality rate, causing people to bleed severely, their enteral organs liquefying, and dying in 3 days. With the proper research, Sam Daniels and his partners, are able to come up with an antidote using the monkey that caused the epidemic (IMDb, 1995). I would have to say, at this present time, I see science portrayed in a positive force in the media. I also feel that society views scientists however the media wants them to view them. Movies tend to leave an impression on how we see things in our world today. Underwood writes, “In today’s society, media influences almost everything. Not surprisingly, trends of fashion, politics, and modern technology are all passed to the public through the medium of media. When teenage girls adopt an unhealthy lifestyle, determined to look like the latest pop star and people are spending millions of dollars on new gadgets celebrities advertise, it is not surprising to hear people’s positions on world-changing issues are also being skewed by means of media. Global warming is one of these significant issues. In a recent study, global warming was seen as a lower priority than local environmental concerns (Study). “This is surprising given the media attention that global warming has recently received” (Study). Perhaps this trend of apathy toward global warming is due to Hollywood’s exaggeration of it. With its extreme weather trends and questionable science, The Day After Tomorrow, a film released in May of 2004, is a controversial example of this influential media that depicts consequences of global warming. The moviemaker’s strategies in making this movie could be too extravagant and far-fetched for an audience to accept the subject possible truth and inspire an intellectual outlook of global warming” (2008). I feel that we, being humans, are very easily influenced and can be persuaded to believe the media without any given proof. I do feel that the media has influenced how certain research and technology is viewed and accepted in the public. We have tablets that we are able to do desktop work on, talk on FaceTime, and listen to music without a c.d. We are able to talk on the telephone with a wrist watch, ear piece, and even check take pictures with a pen. Without James Bond and other spy movies I do not know how long it would have taken scientists to come up with these ideas. Having an MP3 playing is so much more convenient than having to carry boom box around. I also feel that scientist’s research more and more for antidotes of certain diseases. In the media a scientists find a cure within the hour and half it takes, when our scientists are still looking for a cure for AIDS, diabetes, and even cancer. I believe that their determination is fueled by hope that the media gives them. In my opinion, a scientist is more like a super hero. They invent certain items that help many people. From medical to entertainment these scientists are determined to make our lives here better. Like I asked before, what do you think a scientist is? How do they influence people? From being portrayed as evil mad men to being the main hero in a film; these people are extremely special to our race. So, no matter how they are perceived in the media, one thing is certain and that is scientists are ordinary people who have the ability to see the world through a different set of eyes.

References
IMDb. (1995). Outbreak. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114069/
Merriam-Webster. (2015). Dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scientist
Underwood, K. (2008). The Day After Tomorrow Undercuts Global Warning. Retrieved from http://home.nwciowa.edu/lundberg/SEssays/cwriting/KUnderwood%20-%20Research.htm
Wikipedia. (2015). Griffin (The Invisible Man). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griffin_%28The_Invisible_Man%29
Wikipedia. (2015). The Day After Tomorrow. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Day_After_Tomorrow