Dress code & science literacy

If you ask me what scienitists wear to work, The simple answer is "whatever". Our life is much more flexible than most and that also reflects on what we wear to work. Most scientists wear casual, or so called the American uniform: blue jeans and a T shirt. (note that I am speaking about North American scientists.) There are some odd balls, some fashioninstas, some nerds (yes there are even nerdier nerds). We have the luxery of wearing whatever goes with our mood. No ties no dress pants unless we feel like it. Even in a formal conference presentation for hundreds of audiences, no one will judge you if you wear a pair of shorts.

Mostly though, what I wear depends on the type of work I anticipate for the day.If I need to teach the next day I try to pull on a shirt, dress pants, and pointy high heels. If I need to do molecular experiments which require constant walking back and forth between multiple equipments, reagents and samples, I try to wear flats but i can still wear high heels because I have a pair of sneakers I can change into at the lab :) If I worked overnight on that analysis I need for an abstract due the next morning, I wear whatever I see in sight, and hope I am actually invisible.

There is a dress code imposed by national legislation though. You can not be found in the laboratory with open toe shoes, skirts, lab coat hanging open like what you see on TV. Sometimes I have to wear that ugliest goggle that makes me feels like a frog.

Don't despair. Business people have realized our complains and created a whole bunch of colorful lab coats you can imagine. There are those ranbow color ones like the wet color t shirts you see in the 80s. Even one with metallic silver finishes. (ohhhh I have to upload that picture)

They started working on the goggles too. I recently recieved a goggle with rimestones from my colleage.

Nerds~









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