What do scientists and rock stars have in common? On the surface, not a heck of a lot.
But on May 25, they’ll all be gracing the pages of GQ Magazine as part of a nationwide effort to recognize the achievements of some of today’s top scientific minds.
Among those featured in the “Rock Stars of Science” public service campaign is Dr. David Agus, who co-founded Navigenics with the overall goal of improving personal health. Dr. Agus is also a nationally recognized cancer researcher and physician with the University of Southern California.
Haven’t heard of him? That’s exactly the point of the Rock Stars of Science project.
Nearly three-fourths of Americans polled could not name a single living scientist in a 2006 survey commissioned by Research!America. A separate survey for Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry determined that Britney Spears is more influential than Stephen Hawking among most Americans.
The Rock Stars of Science campaign, which is sponsored by Geoffrey Beene Gives Back, is striving to draw attention to the need for greater funding for medical research and to make science a more attractive career choice for young and bright adults.
“We have always known that science isn’t quite as sexy as rock and roll, but when we are so far outside the public conscience, then funding for medical research is in danger and it’s time to spruce up our image,” said Dr. Agus.
He and 10 other leading medical researchers - including Dr. Francis Collins, the newly appointed chief of the National Institutes of Health - turned in their lab coats for a day to be photographed in some of the latest fashions with some of the biggest names in music. Dressed all in black, Dr. Agus posed for GQ behind a row of test tubes and alongside fellow scientist Dr. Eric Topol (not to mention singer/songwriter Seal).
Dr. Agus is being recognized in GQ Magazine for bringing new science and technologies out of the lab and making them more broadly available to the general public. Navigenics’ genetic tests help individuals determine whether they have a genetic predisposition for common health conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, type 2 diabetes and several types of cancer. This genetic information can be very empowering, enabling people to take steps to prevent the onset of disease, detect it early or lessen its impact.
The public can support the sciences by visiting the new Rock Stars of Science website (http://www.rockstarsofscience.org) after it launches on June 1, nominating their own Rock Stars of Science or signing a declaration calling for better funding of scientific research.