Society often wrongly assumes that mastering the basic facts of the scientific method and the process of science is beyond many people's abilities. But science can be explained to and understood by nonscientists, and researchers should be capable of communicating so that nonscientist citizens can understand.
People also are wary of science because the image of researchers as conveyed by the entertainment media has contributed to the public's negative attitude about science. Television, movies, and even comic books have created the stereotype of the scientist as a crazed fanatic.
But scientists by and large are just like other people. Many chose science because of an event in their lives: A beloved grandparent, for example, dies of a disease, and the grandchild decides to conduct research on that disorder. Or a particular teacher inspires a student to enter a scientific field. Or, during a course, a student becomes fascinated by a ...
