How about an alchemist? At least they tried to do science :)

I could also imagine a falling apple, a lightning going through a flying kite and a key, someone watching planets move (whatever this card does), someone collecting birds on an island or a great mathematician, don't ask me what they did exactly, I don't get them...

If you want something more community based, a crowd of people watching the stars, aliens arriving on earth (we are looking for them) or a huge library with people doing their research in it might look great on a card.

Should it be more of a character on the card or could it also be something like an effect card?