Friday, February 16, 2007

Science badges!

The Order of the Science Scouts of Exemplary Repute and Above Average Physique (OOTSSOERAAAP) has a collection of merit badges for scientists. I was never a boy scout, so I've never gotten any badges; now I can finally get some!

badge!

Badges I easily qualify for:

badge!
Talking science: I'm a biology professor. It's my job.


badge!
I blog about science: Um, where am I posting this?


badge!
Sexing up science: Drosophila, baby. I've done selective breeding, stock breeding, and worked in a lab that studied fly mating behavior.


badge!
Has frozen stuff just to see what happens (LEVEL III): One cannot work with liquid nitrogen and fail to get this badge. The stuff is just so cool.


badge!
Inordinately fond of invertebrates: Need I explain why I deserve this? (and that really should be an insect, not a mollusk, on the badge)


badge!
I've done science with no conceivable practical application: Oh yeah, I qualify for this. I can't post about it here, but if you know me (or meet me), ask for a description of my qualifying research.


badge!
I know what a tadpole is: I do!


Badges that I'm still working on:

badge!
Nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah, I've got a TV gig: Does a TV news appearance get at least some points for this badge?


badge!
Arts and crafts: I've got lots of scientific photography, but still haven't sewn anything scientific.


badge!
Destroyer of quackery: I don't do it as much as I should, though I do attack creationism whenever my students bring it up, and am quite proud of steering a woman away from quackery that a fellow blood-donor was trying to push on her.


badge!
Will gladly kick sexual harasser's ass: Happy to do it, but haven't had too much opportunity (though maybe that's a sign I don't deserve the badge ...).

(via BoingBoing)

1 comment:

Radagast said...

Importing comments:

Radagast
Karen: Yes, but wouldn't that imply they're all _dead_, having lost the great evolutionary battle to the far more suprerior arthropods?
February 20, 2007, 12:12:23 AM PST – Like – Reply

Karen
"Inordinately fond of invertebrates: Need I explain why I deserve this? (and that really should be an insect, not a mollusk, on the badge)"

Not if you're a geologist, trying to date an unfamiliar rock formation .
February 17, 2007, 10:24:51 PM PST – Like – Reply

Semantic Compositions
Merit badges I earned that you probably could have qualified for (actually issued by the Scouts): Environmental Science, Astronomy, First Aid, Leatherwork, and shamefully, truly, Basket Weaving. It wasn't underwater, though -- except for the baskets, because you need to keep the wicker wet in order for it to stay pliable.
February 17, 2007, 9:37:33 PM PST