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What Is A Scientist?

And more importantly, how can I become one?

PowerPoint by Veronica Gould

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What Is Science?

Before we can know what a scientist is, we have to understand science.

Science is systematic knowledge of the physical world gained through observation and experimentation.

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Observation

Using our senses, we observe things happening in the world around us every day, like:

a thunderstorm
a bird flying to its nest
two paint colors mixing to form a third
shivering in the wintertime
the sound a cricket makes

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Observation

A scientist observes these things, too!

When scientists make their observations, they always write them down.

Scientists write their observations

in science journals
on data sheets
on experiment sheets

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What’s the difference between any person doing an experiment and a true scientist?

a) A scientist has a PhD.

b) A scientist has the proper equipment.

c) A scientist writes down observations.

d) A scientist wears a lab coat.

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A scientist ALWAYS writes down their observations!

Even though many scientists have PhDs and special technology — even a lab coat — the most important tool any scientist could have is a notebook to write down their observations!

In fact, when you write in your science notebook, you join the scientific community as some of the youngest scientists. Welcome!

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Performing An Experiment

Before you can become a scientist, there are a few things you need to know about performing science experiments.

Scientists work in groups or teams.
Scientists use experiments to try to answer questions.
Scientists follow steps in an experiment.
Experiments can be a lot of FUN, and scientists always use experiments to learn.

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Is this an example of an experiment?

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...It Might Not Be!

Although lab equipment is often used in scientific experiments, equipment alone does not indicate experimentation.

So how do

we recognize

experiment?

So how do we recognize an experiment?

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Experimentation

�An experiment does the following:

Attempts to answer a question about the physical world
Follows a procedure
Tests an idea or hypothesis
Uses models or controlled systems

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Everyday Experiments

You perform experiments every day

without even knowing it!

An experiment doesn't always use fancy

lab equipment. Sometimes it’s as simple

as testing a pen on a piece of paper to see

if it will write.

Can you think of any other examples of experiments?

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So who is a scientist?

Margaret Mead, anthropologist who observed and wrote about Samoan culture.

Nikola Tesla, engineer who worked with electricity.

James Watson, biologist who developed a model for DNA.

Francoise Barre-Sinoussi, virologist who identified HIV

as the cause of AIDS

George Washington Carver,

botanist who invented over 100 uses for the peanut.