Mates of State: "I am a scientist," from pro-girls-in-science compilation "Science Fair" (music video)

[video link] A cool cover of the Guided By Voices song "I am a Scientist," performed by Mates of State on the "Science Fair" benefit compilation support girls in science. Dir.: Lindsay Van Dyke.

Science Fair features new and exclusive music from Mates of State, Laura Veirs, Moona Luna (Pistolera's kids' music incarnation), Elizabeth Mitchell, Frances England and many more. Themed around and benefiting science and engineering education for girls, with an emphasis on foundational education needed to get into science fields when they grow up, Science Fair will be part of advancing the efforts both through the message of the record and through the financial contributions it will generate.

Record comes out July 3. $3 from each album sale is donated to Girls Inc. in support of girl's science education programs.

(Thanks, dpamac)

• [MonkeyBoy]

   Ah, the old “ugly duckling” story line – people picked on her but then she showed them up.

  All the vid was missing was at the end her taking off her glasses and shaking out her hair.

  Is it really good to promote science as a way to achieve one’s childish revenge fantasies?

  • [Deidzoeb]

    I hope this doesn’t seem too spammy, but I made of mashup of lady scientists getting hit on and other sexist moments from old sci-fi movies:
    “The Day the Glasses Came Off”.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA84D2YzZ4o

    • [Preston Sturges]

      Regrettably, at some of the biggest institutions getting tenure depends on being blonde, pretty, and available for tenured faculty. Tenured faculty are allowed to be romantically involved with grad students.   As the job market sinks, nobody cares because employees are captives. Treating them badly and abusing them has no consequences for the insitution, so institutionally nobody cares any more.

      Ditch the ugly frames and put those dirty photos back on Facebook. 

  • [Bill Childs]

    Where’s the revenge?  She wants to levitate, she levitates successfully.  Did she shoot the other kids at some point that I missed?

  • [Bil Hooper]

    I don’t think you and I watched the same video.

  • [numfar]

    Not to mention that it raises unrealistic expectations about how science works. You don’t just stand around, think of an equation and then mix some coloured liquids (with rolled-up labcoat sleeves – not a good idea!) to get your final revenge. The satisfaction you get from doing science, for women and for men, is something else, more intellectual and less graspable.

    • [Bill Childs]

      It’s a 3 minute video — and again, I don’t see any revenge.  Where is it?

• [Preston Sturges]

  I was listening to some recruiters the other day telling a bunch of PhDs that they are now strictly temps and technicians, who will hired to do only one task, and if they show any interest in anything else, they will be fired.  It used to be you were supposed to be seen and not heard, now you aren’t supposed to be seen. 

• [Fang Xianfu]

  Have to say, I definitely prefer the Dandy Warhols song.

  • [Antinous / Moderator]

    Well, you certainly missed the point magnificently.

    • [Fang Xianfu]

       No, I got the point and the visuals in the video are great and well-told, if a bit hackneyed. The music, however, does nothing for me whatsoever and that put me off quite strongly. I thought rather than just moan, I’d offer an alternative that was more my cup of tea.

      • [eloriane]

        I think I agree that the music of the Dandy Warhols song is more interesting, but in this particular context it’s kind of weird to be recommending a music video that has a traditionally-feminine lady-scientist with neither agency nor personality.

• [Jason Carl]

  Cute vid, great cause, I dig Mates of State, but I’m sorry; they drained all the magic out of the GBV original.

• [Amelia_G]

  Thank you, Xeni; that made me cry, a good sign. Though, I read something troubling recently from a wonderful architect-critic, Elizabeth Farrelly, who violated my babysitting-observation belief that gender differences are environmental but who did it so well, and clearly because designers have to design for even bullshytte worlds if there’s sales in’t, that I retain the following: Farrelly mentioned that D.H. Lawrence said that women be, and men do. This bothers me, and thus the lyric bugged me “I am a scientist, I seek to understand me.” Yes, but more than that, please!