This Is What A Scientist Looks Like, a blog developed by science writer and multimedia specialist, Allie Wilkinson, invites scientists to send a photo of themselves and a description of their work to be displayed on the blog. Wilkinson hopes to help change the perception that all scientists look a certain way, and do the same work. The project was featured in a Scientific American article, What a Scientist Looks Like. In the article, author Mariette DiChristina states, “Children as young as kindergartners, when asked to draw a scientist, are likely to make a picture of a white man in a white lab coat—and they don’t see themselves that way.” Photos posted on This is What a Scientist Looks Like include men and women of all races and ethnicities – in the field holding hawks, on stage singing in a rock band, hugging trees, sitting at desks, and riding motorcycles.
“There is no cookie-cutter mold of what a scientist looks like. A scientist can look like you, or can look like me.” -Allie Wilkinson
Visit the project page to learn more, or submit a photo!