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 ArtFry's development of Post-It® removable notes at 3MCorporation 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.