Hello there bloggies!

 

As you all know, I am a scientist. I spend my days and sometimes nights trying to figure out the genetic puzzles underlying human traits and human disease. My crazy goal is to use this genetic information to improve detection and treatment of everyone.

Now it may blow your mind, but not everybody spends their time thinking how genetics influence human disease. Not even other scientists!

Shocking I know. Even more shocking is that it took me a bit into graduate school to realize that not everyone is fascinated by genetic mapping strategies or that a gene I had identified showed a relevant phenotype in a model system. I was simply being an obnoxious bore spewing endless sentences about who knows what at these people.

Don’t be that obnoxious scientist!

Don’t be obnoxious to other scientists. When talking to or presenting to other scientists, be aware that they haven’t spent their professional career studying what you study. Don’t fluid them with an endless alphabet soup of acronyms. And never say the dreaded words ‘obvious’ or ‘obviously’. You look like an ass. Show those scientists why your work matters and how it may influence their work.

Don’t be obnoxious to non-scientist colleagues. Sorry to burst your egos a little scientists, but you are not the people who get everything done. Administrators, HR, grant officers, and the research staff are the backbone of science. They coordinate studies & meetings, collect the data, and help to pay for it. TREAT THEM RIGHT. They deserve it. Plus it’ll help your research. Take the time to build those relationships. A lot of times they can inject a bit of common sense your work needs.

Don’t be obnoxious to your friends and family. Even the most supportive friends and family can only handle so much of science talk. Boil it down and be precise (hell do that for everyone. These are the focus that keep you sane and keep the depression away. Keep them around! They inject the oh so needed variety into your life.

Don’t be obnoxious to complete strangers. Keep it surface level baby. I mean who talks to strangers. Unless you’re at a bar or restaurant. And if you are talking science in those settings….we need to have another talk.

Hope you enjoyed this silly post. More seriously, humility endears you to all, while arrogance and self-righteousness get you no where. Always remain grateful.

And for goodness sake, don’t be that obnoxious scientist! It makes you and us other scientists look bad.

Are there any traits of an obnoxious scientist you know? Share them below or on twitter @DrFsThoughts.

Have a great week!

-Dr. F