I regularly visit the Australian Museum with my family and when I think of scientists I think of people studying and cataloguing the natural world. I previously studied environmental monitoring at TAFE so my most recent laboratory experience involved testing samples.

I enjoy watching nature documentaries and am interested in the natural world. I am most likely to read, listen to and watch science news that is related to these areas of science, and consequently when I think of science I think of fieldwork. I do not believe that gender or age should be a barrier to pursuing a career in science so I did not limit the gender of the character. I know that many studies are carried out as collaborations so I included a colleague in the picture.

Edit: I Hilary Taylor give full permission for the use of my image for the purposes of study.

My image is not to be gender bias towards males, but perhaps influenced through children’s fiction when I was younger through movie character couture, and appealed in the humour of the ‘mad scientist’. Common in most stories, was an image of an eccentric white coated male working collaboratively in a science lab, with a similar depiction of Albert Einstein. 

 After viewing images of other real scientists in our first lecture I have come to learn that my perception of a scientist shouldn’t just be confined to a laboratory setting. The natural environment is rapidly changing through the evidence of evolution as seen in the three toed skinks and Hawaiian honeycreepers, this evidence cannot just be drawn from a laboratory, but through constant field work studies and sample testing. Perhaps my perception of a scientist will itself change through completing this unit EDUC109. 

Edit: students are more than welcome to use my drawing for the assignment

Whilst drawing my interpretation of a scientist, I was somehow reminded of Doc from a very popular sci-fi film called ‘Back To The Future’. I had remembered the scientist from that film that I watched when I was younger. I also thought about how scientists are very hardworking, curious and passionate about their jobs and always challenge their/others ideas. 

 
After viewing this lecture, I have understood that my interpretation of a scientist should not just be only picturing them in a lab setting but more in a environmental setting as there are a variety of different scientist in all areas of expertise. Popular scientists that came to mind include Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton. In fact, I had thought of a quote by Albert that I have integrated in my drawing. I hope to be enlightened in EDUC109 and expand my knowledge on all these types of scientists.

EDIT: I give permission for students to use my drawing for Assignment 1.

 

In conclusion, the image represented is typical to a simplistic idea from society. As the creator of this image, I myself have less knowledge of scientists and the types of work they all do. In this way, the image represents a basic understanding. In the real world, scientists work and study in fields of biology, geology, psychology and many more. One image cannot represent all different fields of science as they vary in such major ways. Biologists may be out in their field of work, differing to psychologists working with patients in an office environment. Through images from a range of people, we can see what understanding those of society have.