Why Scientists should spend more time trying to communicate with everyone else on the planet, part II

This week I spent a lot of time with other scientists. In my own lab, visiting scientists (there was a conference at my university) and teaching young future scientists. At least, a lot more than usual.

I am realizing more and more that scientists seem to accept that they are socially inept. I was talking to a girl the other day she said, "What can you expect? We're all scientists, we don't know any better" and she was referring to social inability.

Not ALL scientists are awkward, unfashionable and incapable of interesting conversation. For those scientists who are in the group that I like to call "aware of the rest of the world around them" it is a running joke to make fun of the other scientists. It's hard not to laugh at our peers. I realize that's not "cool". Or nice. It's just that there are so many scientists who have no idea how wrong it is to be at a social event for over five hours, with alcohol, and ignore everyone except the four people you know in the room.


So let me explain, I was at three social functions this week (conference) and at least 80% of the scientists in the room only socialized with people they already knew. There was no "mixing" at the student mixer. It was, even though painstakingly planned as a social event, highly anti-social. My partner, a "computer geek" had no-one to talk to but me because no-one there knew what to say to him. As soon as they found out that he wasn't a scientist they would say
"oh" and then literally turn around and walk away! I don't think it was out of rudeness, arrogance or meanness, even though this is exactly how they came across, it was actually that they were speechless when confronted with someone who wasn't a chemist or biologist.

This sort of behavior leaves me to wonder... How do these people expect to get jobs outside of academia or the government? And if they don't, what's the point of their work? Who on earth will ever understand it? I believe that scientists need to learn to communicate with everyone, and not just when speaking about their own subjects of interest, but also so that they can have regular conversation - small talk even - with new people that they meet. This way when a scientific conference comes to town, we can hold ours heads proud, meet people from all walks of life and actually impress some people with our knowledge of the world, humor and sexy attitudes. Why is it that only internet marketers and stock traders get all the after work fun? It's time scientists show themselves how to have a good time and the rest of the world with it. If only so that I don't die of boredom before I finish my PhD in one of the smallest cities in North America...

BD