"Brian Greene is the cutest thing to happen to cosmology since the neutrino.”
- Janet Maslin, The New York Times

“Brian Greene—string theory’s answer to John Cusack?”
- The Official String Theory Web Site

“Dr. Brian Greene... is a supermodel of science in my vision of the world.”
- Kirsten Sanford, host of This Week in Science (KDVS 90.3 FM)

“The audience discussion touched on the fact that Professor Greene is a very sexy man, who would look very good with an oiled chest on the cover of GQ. The word ‘studmuffin’ was used...”
- Jonathan E. Snow (referring to the final day of the 10th annual World Congress of Science Producers)

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this celebrity physicist, Brian Greene is one of the world’s leading string theorists, the best-selling author of two popular science books, and the host of a 2003 NOVA special on the hot field of string theory which drew twice the average audience for a NOVA program. Hailed by the media as the next Carl Sagan, he has also been interviewed by ABC, CNN, TIME, Conan O’Brien and David Letterman, just to name a few. Armed with loads of charisma, humour, wit, and the unique ability to transform the most complicated concepts into easy-to-understand chunks that laypeople can digest without wanting to regurgitate, Greene has turned the usually elitist realm of physics into a much more accessible and appealing subject to the masses (including yours truly).

But that’s not his sole contribution to the public sphere. As the above quotes suggest, Greene’s also extremely photogenic. With his David Duchovny-like features and his penchant for New York black chic, physics has never seemed so... well, sexy! Suddenly, women who had no prior interest in science are gathering in droves like never before to read his books and attend his public lectures.

Until recently, my academic advisor wouldn’t have been caught dead with any kind of physics book. She admitted last year that she had a lot of trouble understanding why I had chosen two general interest physics courses as my electives because she simply couldn’t see what was so fascinating about physics in general. Like many, she perceived physics as utterly dull and confusing. I tried to explain to her the bliss I experienced while learning about the universe, but it was to no avail.

However, all of that changed after I encouraged my advisor to go see Dr. Greene’s layperson-friendly talk on string theory this past November. By that time, I had become familiar with his work, and I thought, “If he can’t make her understand what’s so great about physics, then nobody can!”

When I saw my advisor again in early January, I was surprised to see a rather large poster of Professor Greene (which advertised his lecture at McGill) spread neatly across her couch. (It still puzzles me how she got it; did she rip it off a wall in the Rutherford physics building or something?) Like a giggly teenager in the throes of a major crush, she thanked me for informing her of his entertaining, enlightening and informative talk, adding that she was now reading his first book, and that his handsome, smiling face will soon decorate her office so she can stare at him all day long. I’m sure the man’s striking looks are at least as important as his communication skills in their contribution to my advisor’s abrupt change of heart!

Being the geek that I was, I attended both Greene’s scientific and public lectures, and let me tell you, there was a lot of shoving and pushing at the end for his autograph. (Just to give you an idea of his popularity, as I waited patiently for my turn while trying to avoid being crushed, a male student shrieked deliriously—Greene had used his sheet of loose leaf during a demonstration— “OH... MY... GOD!!! I CAN’T believe HE actually rolled MY piece of paper! I’m going to FRAME this and hang it in my room!”) Although the autograph-seekers were a mixed bunch, it was mostly the young ladies who wanted to take photographs and share a word with the dreamy string theorist.

When I was finally able to slide my copy of The Elegant Universe beneath his black marker, I couldn’t help but blurt out as I gazed into his beautiful hazel irises, “I thought you’d like to know that your work partially contributed to my desire to do a second degree in physics.”

“Is that right?” Greene said nonchalantly.

“Yes. Hopefully I’ll be a better physicist that I am now the next time I see you.”

With a cute grin, he replied, “Well, in that case, I hope to see you again.”

Oh, I hope so, too! ;o)