Female Scientists in Movies

Robby Keough, Outbreak

As a scientist for the Center of Disease Control, Robby Keough (Rene Russo) is tasked with investigating a mysterious monkey virus and determining its spread through the US.

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Dr. Ellie Sattler, Jurassic Park

Image Source: Universal Pictures

As a paleobotanist used to working at dig sites, John Hammond's invitation to Jurassic Park, along with dig partner and boyfriend Alan Grant, must have been a dream to Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern). What was supposed to be a trip to endorse an unbelievable amusement park turned into survival skills once the dinosaurs broke free of their enclosures.

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Dr. Ellie Arroway, Contact

Image Source: Warner Bros.

As a scientist working for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, Dr. Ellie Arroway (Jodie Foster) listens to radio transmissions searching for signs of communication from alien life. She is given the duty of manning a politically controversial journey to find the source of the communication.

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Charlotte "Charlie" Blackwood, Top Gun

Image Source: Paramount Pictures

As the only person who can put Maverick in his place, Charlie, played by Kelly McGillis, is an astrophysicist and also serves as flight instructor for the Top Gun school. Her worthy science cred aside, Charlie helped make "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" an even more iconic ballad.

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Dr. Rae Crane, Medicine Man

Image Source: Disney

Biochemist Dr. Rae Crane (Lorraine Bracco) is sent to the jungle to check on the pharmaceutical research of Dr. Robert Campbell (Sean Connery). She works with him to develop a serum that may cure cancer; though, it is a race against time as developers hope to pave right through the jungle and the serum's natural ingredients.

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Dr. Emma Russell, The Saint

Image Source: Paramount Pictures

In the 1997 thriller, The Saint, Elisabeth Shue plays Dr. Emma Russell, an electrochemist who discovered a cold-fusion formula coveted by the Russian military. The formula is cheaper and less harmful than petroleum, making Emma the target of a kidnap attempt.

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