Why I love Science

[chriso at dfrc.wisc.edu]

Finally.  A positive thread.  Thank you!

I love science because here we are, the most intelligent organisms on 
this earth, and yet, we continue to try to understand the hows and 
whys of microbial life.  Those bugs "know" what needs to be done, and 
just do it. While we try to figure out why, by spending lots and lots 
of money on reasearch.  And often to no avail!  They are "smarter" 
than we are.

Also I love trying to figure out how to answer a scientific question 
with the tools at hand.  There are so many techniques and equipment at 
our disposal, that are also constantly changing.  Deciding what 
procedures to use, to answer our questions, is most of the battle. 
There are so many choices, its rarely boring. The procedures I learned 
in school have almost nothing to do with my research now, just because 
everything changes so fast. I am an artist in my other life, and its 
the same there too.  I'm just using the other side of my brain, to 
decide which fabric scraps could be woven into a wild rug or which 
glazes would inhance this pot.

But the best part of being a scientist, is when my 8 yr old daughter 
is telling her friends about her mom.  Its a BIG deal to her to be a 
scientist.  Her school friends have even mentioned in their journals 
how cool it is that Emily's mom is a scientist.  Going into a 
classroom with lab coats and safety glasses and microscopes is a huge 
thrill.  I have had 20 kids in a circle on the floor, looking at petri 
plates that we cultured from their feet, the water fountain, their 
teachers mouth, etc etc.  From these small attempts, I have managed to 
get some of the kids, both girls and boys, already interested in being 
a scientist "when they grow up".  Even those kids who are 'at risk'.

Of course then there is always that smile on my boss's face when I get 
some interesting or unexpected results.  Thats pretty cool too.

Great Question!
Chris Odt