Allie Wilkinson's new blog, This Is What a Scientist Looks Like, asks readers to "change the perception of who and what a scientist is or isn't" through personal photo and story submissions. "There is no single clear-cut path to becoming a scientist. A scientist can come from any background," Wilkinson says.
On Twitter, GeneNomad's K. Thomas Pickard links to Wilkinson's blog, saying: "Scientists come in all shapes, sizes, and ages." Matt Shipman at First Step Project, a charitable organization, tweets: "Love the 'Looks Like Science' site, but would love to see more not-white scientists on there."
In a related discussion, researchers on Twitter are sharing stories on how they came to be scientists, using the hashtag #iamscience. Simon Trevino jokes: "When somebody asks where the negative control is, I just point to the unloaded lane on the gel."