Whether they are biologists, chemists, physicists, engineers, mathematicians, or computer
scientists, the livelihood of all scientists is dependent on their ability to express themselves
creatively. Scientists confront very large and complex problems, and it takes a creative mind to
extrapolate solutions from gathered data, research and experimentation.
One often-cited example of creativity is George de Mestral's observation of how cockleburs
attach to clothing, which led him to invent the hook-and-loop fastener known as Velcro®. He
transformed a common nuisance to a useful product.
Scientists are creative for several different purposes, and in several ways. Here are some
examples:
Purposes:
* Creating something new - a new approach, or a new product, for example
* Solving a problem with something that exists
* Understanding something better - creating a new model of how or why something happens
Ways:
* Dreaming or daydreaming
* Brainstorming
* Focused effort
* Serendipity
* Applying approaches from one field to another field
* Dreaming - The structure of benzene in chemistry was first understood by means of a dream.
A scientist who had been focused on trying to determine the structure of benzene couldn't
visualize how the number of carbon and hydrogen atoms could fit together...then, he dreamed
of a snake biting its own tail - and realized that the benzene was a ring of carbon atoms, rather
than a chain of carbon atoms.
* Brainstorming: By himself or herself, a scientist might make a diagram of the problem, or
several diagrams of the problem to see it from several perspectives. Then, he or she might
spend some quiet time brainstorming - thinking of and writing down all the possible solutions
that come to mind...even the ridiculous possible solutions. Alternatively, the scientist might get
a team of people to brainstorm together, with a ground rule that no one criticizes any idea that
comes out during the brainstorming stage.
A commonly cited example of brainstorming is Art Fry's development of Post-It® removable
notes at 3M Corporation in 1974. Dr. Spencer Silver, another 3M scientist, had developed a
polymer adhesive that formed microscopic spheres instead of a uniform coating, and thus was
a poor adhesive that took years to set. Fry wanted a better bookmark for his church hymnal, so
he used Silver's adhesive. The conventional wisdom is that every adhesive must be strong. By
ignoring the conventional wisdom, Fry developed a highly successful office product.
* Focused effort – Some key creative results have been the result of focused efforts - often over
a long period of time, often involving a lot of people. Thomas Edison, one of the most
productive inventive minds in history, said "Invention is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine
percent perspiration." Many of his projects involved many scientists working together for years,
persistent despite obstacles or frustrating results.
* Serendipity - The discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming was accidental. In 1928, he
found that some mold had contaminated one of his culture plates on which he had been
growing bacteria - and the bacteria had started dying. If Fleming had been less curious, and less
persistent, or had stayed too focused on the original purpose of his research, he may have
missed the incredibly important discovery of WHY the bacteria were dying, and would have not
discovered the penicillin that came from the mold.
* Applying approaches from one field to another field - Some of the major theories in
population biology came from a physicist who became intrigued by population biology, and
applied variations of some of his approaches in physics to creating models of how predators
and prey interact.