Who is a Scientist? Lower_Level_P01

What is science? Who does science? What is the purpose of science? These are all fair questions to ask.

Science is something many people know little about. You may feel scientists have little to do with your life. However, it is a fact; science is in all our lives in many ways. From lighting and heating our homes to how we go from place to place, everything involves science. But who are these people we call scientists?

If you ask someone what doctors or police officers look like, they can tell you. In our daily lives, we see many people with different jobs. Some work in the stores we shop in. Others prepare our food or give it to us in restaurants. As we drive through town, we see people building houses or fixing roads. If we need help, we know to call a police officer or a firefighter.

What about a scientist? Do we know what they look like? Many jobs are well known to us and are public in nature. The public nature of these different jobs is what makes these jobs easier to observe and analyze. You see police officers every day as police watch in their cars to ensure safety. Doctors are another job that is well known to us.


A quick drive through town will show this point. You will see many doctors’ offices and hospitals. Also, everyone has been sick at some time in their life and has gone to the doctor for care.