Nerd Girls Save The World: 17 Of Pop Culture’s Greatest Female Geeks

Dr. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) in Jurassic Park (Image via Universal Pictures)

2. Ellie Sattler (Jurassic Park)

Want a little bit of an action hero to go along with your nerd character? Then look no farther than Dr. Ellie Sattler.

In Jurassic Park, Dr. Sattler (Laura Dern) is already an accomplished scientist. She’s working on a paleontological dig in the remote Montana Badlands. Her particular specialty is paleobotany, a niche interest that will serve as her ticket to the infamous Jurassic Park.

She’s not fearful in terrifying situations, either. When dinosaurs inevitably overrun the park and start eating people left and right, Dr. Sattler quickly steps up. With Robert Muldoon (Bob Peck), the hunter with a lopsided hat and “clever girl” catchphrase, she saves Jeff Goldblum from becoming a t-rex’s next meal. She braves the threat of vicious raptors to turn the power back on. She even brings the park’s head, John Hammond, back to earth with some real talk about the danger of their situation.

At all turns, Dr. Sattler is ready to do whatever she has to in order to survive, including using her knowledge and bravery to make it out of Jurassic Park. She also does all this in a sensible outfit.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m all for women wearing whatever they want, but I’m also pretty sick of female characters wearing clothing inappropriate to their environment. Transparent shirts and short shorts are clearly for the male gaze and not for crashing through a jungle (cough, Lara Croft, cough). Maybe this is only a small detail, but it’s a relief to see Dr. Sattler wearing shirts and pants like, you know, an actual human scientist does in the field.