The Making of a Scientist

 

Richard Ebright

Summary

The making of a scientist is a story of a curious child who is channelizing his curiosity to become a scientist. Richard Ebright was very close to his mother, and she plays a key role in developing his interest in science.

Richard Ebright began his journey by collecting butterflies. Later on, he did research on the purpose of gold spots on the pupae of monarch butterflies. His paper on the working of a cell got published in a scientific journal when he was only 22. He became famous. Ebright participated in many science exhibitions and won many awards. Apart from science, he had an interest in public speaking and debate.

Richard Ebright was a curious child. He had started collecting butterflies in his childhood and by the time he was in second grade, he had already gathered all the 25 species found in his hometown. Also, he collected coins, fossils, and rocks. One day his mother gave him a book named ‘The Travels of Monarch X’. It was a turning point in life as it introduced him to the world of science. When Ebright was in seventh grade he experienced real science in the county science fair. He understood that to win something he should do something extraordinary. He began to develop a competitive spirit and started working on Dr. Urqhart's ideas.

For his eighth grade, he selected the assignment of finding the cause of viral sickness that killed almost all the monarch caterpillars every year. He thought that the cause for this could be a beetle, so, he rose caterpillars with the presence of beetles. However, he was wrong. The next year his project for the science fair was testing the theory that Viceroy Butterflies copy Monarch Butterflies to save themselves from birds. His project got the first prize in the zoology division and third in the county science fair.

In his second year of high school, Richard Ebright's research led to his discovery of an unknown insect hormone which led to his new theory on the lives of cells. He tried to find the purpose of tiny golden spots on the back of the monarch pupa. This project won first place in a country science fair and a chance to work in the Walter Reed Army Institute of research.

As a high school student, he continued his advanced experiments at the laboratory of the Department of Agriculture. He was able to identify the hormones’ chemical structure. One day while looking at the X-ray photos of the hormone he got the idea of his new theory that tells cells can read the blueprint of their DNA. Ebright and his roommate constructed the plastic model of molecules to illustrate how cells are able to read DNA. It was a big leap forward and got published in a magazine. He graduated from Harvard with the highest honours.

Ebright says that his high school social teacher Mr. Weiherer had opened his mind for new ideas. Curiosity, first-class mind, and the ability to do the best are the essential ingredients to make a scientist and Ebright had these qualities.

He has other interests also like public speaking, debate and is also a canoeist and an outdoor person. Also, he was competitive but in a good sense and always want to do his best. Moreover, he possesses all the traits of becoming a good scientist.

The story teaches us that with perseverance, dedication and hard work any dream is achievable.

Meanings for some words and phrases:

Curiosity- a strong desire to know or learn something.

Encouraged- give support, confidence, or hope to (someone).

Equipment- the necessary items and tools for a particular purpose.

Species- a group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding.

Monarch butterflies- a large migratory orange and black coloured butterfly that occurs mainly in North America.

Collector- a person who collects things of a specified type, professionally or as a hobby.

Migrations-  seasonal movement of animals from one region to another.

Adhesive- able to stick fast to a surface or object; sticky.

Flock- a number of birds of one kind feeding, resting, or travelling together.

Life cycle- the series of changes in the life of an organism including reproduction.

Tedious- too long, slow, or dull; tiresome or monotonous.

County- region

Subject- a person or thing that is being discussed, described, or dealt with.

Stack- a pile of objects, typically one that is neatly arranged.

Viral- of the nature of, caused by, or relating to a virus or viruses.

Starling- a gregarious Old World songbird with a straight bill, typically with dark lustrous or iridescent plumage but sometimes brightly coloured.

Zoology- the scientific study of the behaviour, structure, physiology, classification, and distribution of animals.

Research- the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.

Hormone- a regulatory substance produced in an organism and transported in tissue fluids such as blood or sap to stimulate specific cells or tissues into action.

Assumed- supposed to be the case, without proof.

Ornamental- serving or intended as an ornament; decorative, cosmetic

Sophisticated- advanced

Blueprint-  a design plan or technical drawing.

Nucleus- the central and most important part of an object, movement, or group, forming the basis for its activity and growth.

Heredity- the passing on of physical or mental characteristics genetically from one generation to another.

Roommate- a person occupying the same room as another.

Researcher- a person who carries out academic or scientific research.

Debater- a person who argues about a subject, especially in a formal manner.

Canoeist- A canoeist is someone who is skilled at racing and performing tests of skill in a canoe.

Exhibits- manifest clearly (a quality or a type of behaviour).

Admire- regard with respect or warm approval.

Competitive- relating to or characterized by competition.

Ingredients- a component part or element of something.

 Some Question with Answers

1. How did a book become a turning point in Richard Ebright’s life?

Richard had collected all the 25 species of butterflies that were found in his surroundings. He thought that it would be an end to the butterfly collection. Then his mother bought him a book, ‘Travels of Monarch X’. The book was written by Dr Urquhart, a Canadian Zoologist. It described how the butterflies migrated to Central America. The book aroused an interest in him for exploring more and led to his scientific curiosity. Like this, a book became a turning point in Richard Ebright’s life.

2. How did his mother help him?

Richard Ebright’s mother played a major role in his life. She encouraged him by buying telescopes, microscopes, cameras, and mounting equipment.  She tried to help him learn various things in the evening when he had free time. She also used to take him out on field trips. She gave him a book called ‘Travels of Monarch X’ which led to his scientific curiosity. Thus, Ebright’s mother helped him to become a scientist.

3. What lesson does Ebright learn when he does not win anything at a science fair?

 Ebright had presented slides of Frog tissues at the fair. He realized that by simply presenting something was not enough to be a winner. He had learned that it is important to do real experiments.

4. What experiments and projects does he then undertake?

Ebright did an experiment to see the cause of the viral disease that kills nearly all the monarchs after every few years and also took up a project to prove that the viceroy butterflies copy monarchs to survive by behaving like them.

5. What are the qualities that go into the making of a scientist?

According to the lesson, ‘The Making of a Scientist’ there are three qualities that a person needs to become a scientist. The first quality is a first-rated mind, the second quality is curiosity and the third quality is the will to win for the right reasons.

Think About It (Answers to the questions on Page 38)

1. How can one become a scientist, an economist, a historian …? Does it simply involve reading many books on the subject? Does it involve observing, thinking, and doing experiments?

One should have passion in the chosen field. By reading many books on the subject is not enough. One must develop the skill of observation and thinking. One should have the curiosity to explore and find new things. (37 words)

2. You must have read about cells and DNA in your science books. Discuss Richard Ebright’s work in the light of what you have studied. If you get an opportunity to work like Richard Ebright on projects and experiments, which field would you like to work on and why?

Cells are the building blocks of all life forms. There are different kinds of cells that perform different kinds of roles. DNA is an essential component that directs cell growth. It carries the blueprint of life and heredity. DNA passes information from one generation to the other.

If I get an opportunity to work like Richard Ebright, I would choose to study diseases. By studying the DNA, I may find ways and means to cure many illnesses. A new branch of medicine involving DNA modifications is known as genetic engineering. I would like to study genetics and find ways to make humans more immune and disease-proof. (109 words)