Unexpected Scientists: Famous People with Science Backgrounds

  • Thread starter Niles
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In summary, the conversation discusses a list of surprising discoveries of famous individuals with backgrounds in physics or engineering. Some notable examples include Rowan Atkinson, Angela Merkel, and Brian Kernighan. The conversation also touches on the surprise of finding out about the science background of individuals such as Tim Berners-Lee, Sarah Palin, and the writers of Futurama. Other surprising backgrounds mentioned include that of Philip Rosedale, Danica McKellar, and Lizzy Hawker. The conversation also delves into the educational backgrounds of Osama bin Laden, Greg Graffin, Isaac Asimov, Alfred Hitchcock, Judd Hirsch, and Ashton Kutcher. It also briefly mentions the backgrounds of members of the bands Bad Religion and GW
  • #1
Niles
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Hi all.

During the past, there have been a few times where I have looked up someones profile online ("someone" meaning e.g. politicians, actors etc.) to find out that they have a background in physics/engineering.

I thought it could be fun to make a list of these "discoveries".

Mine are

Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean) holds a M.Sc. in EE
Angela Merkel (the Prime Minister of Germany) holds a Ph.d. in physical chemistry
Brian Kernighan (one of the inventors of C) holds a B.Sc. in engineering physics
Tim Berners-Lee (invented the WWW) holds a B.Sc. in physics
 
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  • #2
Why are the last two surprising?
 
  • #3
They were for me. I thought they were computer scientists.
 
  • #4
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_May" , lead guitarist for Queen...and an astrophysicist.
 
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  • #5
Sarah Palin has a B.S... that surprised me.
 
  • #6
I don't want to bother looking them up, but many of the writers for Futurama hold PhD's in various maths and sciences.
 
  • #7
Philip Rosedale the founder of Second Life was a physics major.
 
  • #8
Sorry! said:
Sarah Palin has a B.S... that surprised me.

depends on what B.S. stands for...
 
  • #9
Maggie Thatcher (British PM in the 80s) had a BSc in chemistry. In an interview somebody asked if her science knowledge had every come in handy, she mentioned some report on US star-wars where the advocate had said they need 10^20W (or whatever) to shoot down a missile and in tests had managed 10^10W - the other politicians had said "excellent so we are half-way there"!
 
  • #11
Oh yeah, I forgot me... Flatmaster Physics major, chem minor. I might have a masters in science education, I'm not sure.
 
  • #12
flatmaster said:
Oh yeah, I forgot me... Flatmaster Physics major, chem minor. I might have a masters in science education, I'm not sure.

...an unexpected Master's degree...?
 
  • #13
Random credits from several universities. Someone might give me a masters.
 
  • #14
Lizzy Hawker -one of the best ultramarathon runners in the world- has a PhD in environmental science (as far as I remebember she is an oceanographer)

Greg Graffin (singer in the punk-rock band Bad Religion) has a PhD in biology and actually teaches a course at UCLA...
 
  • #16
  • #17
or civil ungineering
 
  • #18
lisab said:
Sure it's not uncivil engineering?

Or civil deengineering?
 
  • #20
Lots of rich Saudis are educated in the sciences. The men, at least.
 
  • #21
Isaac Asimov had a Ph.D. in biochemistry (okay, so that's probably not so surprising; many SF types have Ph.Ds or at least a degree or two in hard sciences / engineering):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Asimov

and Alfred Hitchcock went to Engineering school:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Hitchcock

EDIT: Another list, but mostly Civil types. I'd heard somewhere that Carlos Mencia was an EE:
http://ertw.com/engineering/FamousEngineers.html

Also, Dolph Lundgren (the giant Russian from Rocky IV) has a Master's in Chemical Engineering:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolph_Lundgren
 
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  • #22
Taxi's Judd Hirsch has a degree in physics.
 
  • #23
Ashton Kutcher was in biomedical engineering before leaving uni because he was making more money modeling.
 
  • #24
Topher925 said:
Osama bin Laden apparently might have a degree in civil engineering.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osama_bin_Laden

Random fact: After the 9/11 attacks he said he was surprised the towers collapsed. Being a civil engineer, that's not just a random guess.
 
  • #25
f95toli said:
Greg Graffin (singer in the punk-rock band Bad Religion) has a PhD in biology and actually teaches a course at UCLA...
I remember hearing them in interview a while back saying that all of the members had degrees. I don't remember who had what though and I am sure that their line up has changed since then.

I've heard that all of the members of GWAR have had white collar office jobs and that the original purpose of their costumes and fake names was to keep people from finding out who they really were. Unfortunately I have not been able to find any sites talking about what their real day jobs are/were. I wonder if any of them are scientists or engineers.
 
  • #26
Elena Ceausescu, wife of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, was a polymer chemist. Her scientific achievements are disputed; she probably forced prominent scientists to write papers in her name.
 
  • #27
Eva Longoria (from Desperative Housewives) has a B.Sc. in kinesiology
 
  • #28
Niles said:
Eva Longoria (from Desperative Housewives) has a B.Sc. in kinesiology

That's really not surprising. One of my roommates is a kinesiology grad student. All he does it talk about how much weight he just lifted and his time for his last run.
 
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  • #29
maverick_starstrider said:
That's really not surprising. One of my roommates is a kinesiology grad student. All he does it talk about how much weight he just lifted and his time for his last run.

The universities around here kinesiology is pretty hard to get into. Actually it's easier to get into something like biomedical sciences than kines...
 
  • #31
Sorry! said:
The universities around here kinesiology is pretty hard to get into. Actually it's easier to get into something like biomedical sciences than kines...

Is biomedical science hard to get into?
 
  • #32
ed witten has a BA in history
 
  • #33
Niles said:
They were for me. I thought they were computer scientists.

Are you saying computer scientists aren't scientists...because that doesn't make any sense at all.
 
  • #34

1. Who are some famous people with science backgrounds?

Some famous people with science backgrounds include Albert Einstein, who was a theoretical physicist, Marie Curie, who was a chemist and physicist, and Neil deGrasse Tyson, who is an astrophysicist.

2. How did their science backgrounds influence their careers?

Their science backgrounds greatly influenced their careers. For example, Albert Einstein's knowledge of physics led to his groundbreaking theories of relativity, while Marie Curie's understanding of chemistry and physics helped her discover the elements polonium and radium. Neil deGrasse Tyson's background in astrophysics has allowed him to become a leading voice in science communication and education.

3. Did these famous people always know they wanted to pursue science?

Not necessarily. While some may have shown an early interest in science, others discovered their passion for it later in life. For example, Neil deGrasse Tyson initially wanted to become a professional wrestler before discovering his love for astrophysics.

4. How did their science backgrounds impact society?

Their science backgrounds have had a significant impact on society. For instance, Albert Einstein's theories of relativity revolutionized our understanding of the universe and have been crucial in the development of modern technology. Marie Curie's discoveries in radioactivity paved the way for advancements in medical treatments and nuclear energy. Neil deGrasse Tyson's work in astrophysics has helped us better understand our place in the universe and has inspired countless individuals to pursue careers in science.

5. Are there any other unexpected scientists that we should know about?

Yes, there are many other unexpected scientists who have made significant contributions to their fields. Some examples include actress Hedy Lamarr, who co-invented a frequency-hopping technology that laid the foundation for modern wireless communication, and actress Mayim Bialik, who holds a PhD in neuroscience and has published several scientific papers. There are also many musicians, athletes, and artists who have backgrounds in science and continue to use their platform to promote scientific literacy and education.

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