On Becoming a Domestic and Laboratory Goddess

Earlier today Dr. Isis received an email from the powers-that-be at ScienceBlogs asking for a response to a brand, spanking new "Ask a ScienceBlogger" question.  This one comes from two ScienceBlogs readers who will also be moderating a session on science fiction at ScienceOnline'09.  Here's the question:

What do you see as science fiction's role in promoting science, if any?

This is an amazing question and Dr. Isis thinks that, not only is science fiction totally hot, but that science fiction is crucial in inspiring young scientists.  At least, it was for Dr. Isis.  Allow me to explain:

Dr. Isis grew up a huge Star Trek fan.  I mean, massively huge. She started out watching The Original Series and all but lost her junk when The Next Generation started.  While Dr. Isis prefers to pretend that Deep Space Nine and Enterprise never happened, she is one of the few who enjoyed Voyager (yes, even when Seven of Nine showed up). Dr. Isis might own the three complete serieses on DVD and consider an ideal night to be a glass of wine, an Aveda clay mask, and the tribbles episode. 

Figure 1:  An ideal evening in the Isis house -- at least for Dr. Isis.

 So why did these particular shows have such an impact on Dr. Isis?  There are two reasons.  First, each series demonstrated a progressive inclusion of women and minorities in science and technology.  I mean, sure Uhura was kind of a secretary, but she was also one of the first regularly featured female African American characters that was not someone's servant.  She was considered to be a major minority female role model.  In TNG the ship's doctor was a woman and I remember being thrilled by the idea of an overtly feminine woman in a labcoat. By the time we get to Voyager,  Janeway is the captain.  I was an adult by the time this series ran, but I found it fascinating to watch how her femininity was dealt with and, at times, stifled.  I identified with her internal struggle with her femininity and her attempt to appear to be a strong leader and with the sense of responsibility she felt for those she was charged to care for...and the fact that she often made decisions at the expense of herself.

Figure 2: Intelligent female characters in positions of authority in "the future" made Dr. Isis hopeful that women would continue to be included in science, engineering, math, and technology.

Second, Dr. Isis appreciated the idea of the pursuit of science as a means to fulfill one's own curiosity -- the mission to explore where no totally hot domestic and laboratory goddess had gone before.  I totally dug when they would stop at some planet just to check out something they were curious about and things would descend into shennanigans.  I loved that their discoveries  were used to make life better -- that they had found solutions to poverty and hunger and (largely) disease.  As a girl I wanted this to be my life; I wanted to pursue the things I was interested in because I was curious and then use my findings to make my corner of society a little bit better.  I think this is largely what I do now as a scientist.

So, I suppose Viriginia, the role I see for science fiction in science is to offer us a vision of how the future might be and to give us something to dream about.  It has inspired me to think about what my place in the future might be and to hope that the future would continue to be even better for my daughters. It made me want to explore and discover.  And, finally, it taught me the importance of not going to a major meeting in a red shirt.