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"But, you really have a point about the visual vocabulary--the one we
have 
(and often use) is quickly becoming irrelevant and historic rather than
a 
useful tool to depict different disciplines of science. That's one
reason my 
mind turned to dress code--the best symbols are ones that work on
several 
levels by emerging form the specific context and begin to "stand for"
that 
context."

I think that the context dependency of style of dress is not really that
different then that of tools. White lab coats make sense in the context
of a lab where there is a potential for getting dirty, but this is less
and less the environment in which scientists work. My concern is that
the ubiquitous use of computers in all fields has severely limited our
visual vocabulary. In addition that use of computers has effected dress
codes in the same way. When everything from scientific research, to art,
to manufacturing can be done by computer then there is no reason for
these professions to maintain separate modes of dress. Heck, we can all
just sit around in our pajamas at home in front of our laptops! 

-Lath 

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