Kristin Barry, a neuroscience PhD graduate, commemorated her achievement with a tattoo inspired by her research on auditory neurons. This trend is growing among scientists who celebrate career milestones with body art. Science journalist Carl Zimmer notes that such tattoos symbolize a profound connection to one's work. His interest in this phenomenon began at a family pool party when he saw a friend's tattoo of genetic code representing his wife's initials. This highlights a unique intersection of personal expression and scientific identity in academia.
It's one thing to put on your CV 'I wrote a paper on this topic', but it's another thing to say 'I'm going to put this on my skin and carry it around with me for the rest of my life'. It's a different level of connection.
I really didn't expect my tattoo to play as much of a part in my identity, but it just felt right.
The inspiration for Zimmer's book came from an unlikely place: a pool party for his nephew. He noticed that one of his friends had a tattoo on his shoulder.
Many scientists mark research accomplishments and career milestones by heading to a tattoo parlour.
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