8. The Urban Scientist
Danielle N. Lee, Ph.D., holding a goldfinch, is on a mission to spread science love.
Danielle N. Lee, Ph.D., is literally dropping science where it’s needed most — in underserved communities. As part of the Scientific American Blog Network, Lee writes about urban ecology, evolutionary biology and diversity in the sciences. She breaks down science for everyday people, highlighting everything from “food and knife politics,” camel crickets, training opportunities and her research on the African Giant Pouched Rat. Her popular blog, The Urban Scientist, is an outgrowth of Urban Science Adventures and the OutKast-inspired Southern Playalistic Evolution Music. She still occasionally infuses hip-hop references and revamped lyrics to demystify science and explain how things work. The scientific community and others rallied around her when a web producer called her out of her name for declining an offer to submit monthly blog entries for exposure, but no pay. She’s put the drama behind her, saying “I have science to do.”
