Celebrities Who Love Science
Eva Longoria
Before she was a desperate housewife, Eva Longoria earned a Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M. She went on to earn a masters degree in Chicana Studies, writing her thesis on Latinas in STEM. She also created the Eva Longoria Foundation whose mission is to lift Latinas out of poverty by encouraging science and technology education.
Natalie Portman
She may have played an astronaut in “Lucy in the Sky,” but Natalie Portman’s science background started in high school when she co-authored a paper on turning biodegradable waste into usable energy. While studying psychology at Harvard, she co-authored a second paper on how memory affects hemoglobin concentration in the brain.
Leonardo DiCaprio
The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation has been working to protect endangered wildlife and create a habitable planet for all creatures since 1998. His Media, Science, and Technology initiative brings conservation and grassroots environmentalism into the 21st century through cutting-edge media and the latest in technological innovation.
Lisa Kudrow
As the daughter of a physician specializing in headaches, Lisa Kudrow started our in her father’s footsteps, earning a Bachelor of Science in Psychobiology from Vassar. She worked for her father for eight years, eventually co-authoring a paper with him on migraine research the year that Friends premiered.
GZA
The Genius seems a fitting title for a rapper whose side hobby is studying quantum physics. GZA’s 2010 album “Dark Matter” was written with physicists at MIT, NYU, and other universities. He also launched Science Genius B.A.T.T.L.E.S.--an initiative to help Black and Latinx students learn science through hip hop, culminating in a rap battle.
Danica McKeller
Best known for The Wonder Years, Danica McKeller is herself a math wonder, graduating summa cum laude from UCLA with a Bachelor of Science. As an undergrad, she co-author a mathematical theorem, and since 2000 has advocated for STEM education for middle school girls. She’s also penned seven popular math books.
The Scirens
Taryn O’Neill, Tamara Krinksy & Gia Mora are the Scirens--the screen scirens for science. Their mission is to use entertainment to promote curiosity and critical thinking. Their YouTube show features a segment called “Glossed Over” dedicated to telling the stories of women and BIPOC in science.