Don't Hate Me Because I'm a Scientist

In the wake of a spate of bad press surrounding the Climategate scandal, an organization called the Union of Concerned Scientists has launched an advertising campaign to make climate scientists appear more lovable to the public. Even after being vindicated from what The New York Times called a "manufactured controversy" over distorted IPCC findings, it appears the public still has somewhat tepid feelings toward those who devote their work to researching global climate change. Grist discusses the campaign in today's post.

Ads show scientists in their formative years -- checking out bugs, playing in mud, going parking, and actually gazing at the stars. Not a PowerPoint in sight. The ads are running in newspapers across the country, on newspaper websites, and in the D.C. subway system.

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No one expects this campaign to make Rush Limbaugh go limp, but whether it gets the rest of us all warm and fuzzy about climate geeks is anyone's guess.

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Reaction to the ad campaign has been mixed, with some people applauding the effort to debunk the "vegetarian socialist conspiracy" stereotype, and others questioning why the campaign is even necessary.

Check out the full post at Grist and tell us what you think.

Photo courtesy of Union of Concerned Scientists via Grist.