Plus, we don’t need to shave as often, nor are we required to have close-cropped hair! Even our close professional associates, engineers, can’t get away with this the way we can. Earth scientists are typically given much more leeway in the public eye regarding appearance. A “scruffy” look probably won’t work for an attorney working out of a Century City high-rise, but even a high-priced geoscientist can pull this off.
I recently dropped into the office in a collared T-shirt, a baseball cap, cargo shorts, and trail running shoes, en route to a project site for some fieldwork. I had not shaved in five days, and my engineering intern looks over at me, smiles and says to me, “Wow! You really look like a geologist!” I suppose I take that as a compliment!