The world of Pokémon is a vast place, as proven by the recent open-world Pokémon Legends: Arceus and the upcoming Pokémon Scarlet & Violet. These games prove what fans already knew; that the world is dangerous and full of hostile creatures. Some brave souls need to step in to help guide the people of the world regarding these animals. These guides are the Pokémon Professors.
AKA Pokémon Experts, these researchers are part tutorial, part scientist. They set the protagonist off on their way, but also contribute to world knowledge. As at least one appears in every mainline game, the games have given them unique designs and personalities. This helped define these scientists in the hearts of fans, but some are still more fondly remembered than others.
Minor, Retired, and Non-Pokémon Professors
While there are dozens of Professors in spin-off games, there’s still a surplus in mainline titles. These are minor characters like Professor Park from the Poké Transfer Lab; HeartGold and SoulSilver also mention a lost Professor Silktree from the Ruins of Alph. There are also plenty of characters who used to be Professors but have retired.
These ex-professors include Cedric Juniper and Mohn. These are both fathers of story characters that have passed on their torch. There are also multiple scientists who don’t study Pokémon at all, such as Professor Cozmo is from Ruby & Sapphire whose real profession is meteroricist.
Professor Elm
Pokémon Gold & Silver are some of the best Pokémon games, but one thing that only die-hard Johto fans may remember is that Elk is quite scatterbrained. He’s an expert on Pokémon breeding, which ties into the game’s at-the-time new breeding mechanics. Supposedly, Elm discovered Pokémon eggs, though some fans have their doubts due to how common eggs are in-world.
However, Elm is also the only Professor to get robbed. Despite having assistants, he still needs the player to go on errands for him. He seems very out of his element sometimes, and he’s overshadowed entirely by Oak, who even appears in Elm's game intro instead of him.
Professor Magnolia
Earlier in the franchise, Cedric Juniper was a Professor who passed the torch. In Galar, fans see this process live with Professor Magnolia and her granddaughter. Despite being the regional Professor of Galar and its strongest Pokémon, she doesn’t appear much. She mainly stays in her hometown.
Befitting her stationary nature, Magnolia researches Dynamaxing. This phenomenon is only in Galar, so her research has limited application. Interestingly, Magnolia is one of the only Professors to not offer starters directly to the player. This gives her minimal impact until the end of the game when she passes on her title.
Professor Samson Oak
Despite the family resemblance, this isn't Professor Oak. Introduced in Sun & Moon is his cousin, Samson. He may look like a sunburned vacationer, but he’s still a qualified professor. He researches the regional Pokémon found in Alola.
In the games proper, Samson takes a backseat to the region’s actual professor, but in the Pokémon Sun & Moon anime, he plays a bigger role. He’s the principal of the Pokémon School where the series takes place. This gives him more time to stand out as a jolly friend. Sadly, he can’t escape his cousin's shadow.
Professor Sycamore
Professor Sycamore is from the Kalos region, and his Pokémon Professor specialty is Mega Evolution. He’s young and proactive. He follows the player, testing their skill. Notably, this was the first time players battled a Professor in the main story.
Sycamore had assistants and history with the villain, and, like many other professors, he gave the protagonist their original starter Pokémon. Unfortunately, some found his ultimate significance lacking. Despite being a mega-evolution expert, it’s a Gym Leader who unlocks the mechanic, not him.
Professor Juniper
Professor Juniper was the first female Professor. She took the position of Professor from her father, outshining his legacy. Her research is on the odd-sounding “origin of Pokémon.” This is perhaps because “evolution of Pokémon” has a different meaning in the Pokéworld.
Juniper loses points from some fans for not being very present. She delivers the starter Pokémon through the mail, and, after the monster catching tutorial, seeing her is optional. Still, she has impeccable style.
Professor Birch
Birch was the second Professor to give the opening speech. He's like an Oak foil. He’s larger, younger, and needs rescuing in tall grass rather than stopping the player from going into it. The original, rude rival was Oak’s grandson, but the nicer third rival was Birch’s child.
Unlike Elm, comparisons to Oak make Birch stronger. Birch may have an incompetent introduction, but he makes it work. He comes off as very affable, like a family friend, despite being a prolific professor and having written several books about Pokémon habitats in the Hoenn region.
Professor Laventon
Laventon is a jolly fellow from Pokémon Legends: Arceus. He stumbles upon the player after they appear in Hisui, and introduces them to the mechanics when his Pokémon flee. After that, he introduces the player to the Galaxy Team. Meeting him is the story's inciting event.
He’s also a more present Professor. He appears on survey missions and writes every one of the game's Pokédex entries. Laventon does a lot to make the Galaxy Team welcoming. He may also be Galarian like Sonia.
Professor Sonia
Sonia only gets the moniker of Professor at the end of Sword and Shield, but she deserves it. She’s the granddaughter of Magnolia and takes up the Galar Professorship via hand-me-down. She’s the only Professor to not research Pokémon, instead specializing in Galarian history- specifically the Darkest Day.
This gives her similar narrative weaknesses to Magnolia, but Sonia is proactive. She constantly liaisons with the player and Champion Leon. She’s constantly researching history to learn about the crises in Galar. She seems like a more responsible person than her grandmother and is also kind.
Professor Burnet
Professor Burnet is pretty unique among the rest. She may not headline a region of her own, but she’s the only Professor to make the jump from one of the best spin-off Pokémon games to the mainline. It’s easy to see why she wasn't restricted to Pokémon spin-offs; her discipline is on Pokémon and other dimensions.
These other dimensions are big plot points in Sun and Moon that introduce exciting plot developments. Her research opened up interesting possibilities, so the developers rescued her from obscurity in Pokémon Dream Radar. She’s also married to another Professor, Kukui.
Professor Rowan
Rowan is a guy with gravitas. While the first three Professors introduced could be considered teachers, Professor Rowan was the first to seem like a distinguished researcher. He was stern and well-read but still very intelligent. It says a lot that his counterpart in Pokémon Legend Arceus, Kamado, is a wise and powerful lord.
He’s also fairly involved in the events of Diamond and Pearl. He constantly makes rounds in the region accompanied by his assistant, and he informs the player of the goings-on and assists them actively in the story.
Professor Oak
The original Pokémon Professor is a cultural icon. Samuel Oak studies the relationship between Pokémon and humans, or domestication. This makes him a wellspring of useful knowledge since his debut in the original Red and Blue.
His design is often reused, like with Samson or the strange Grand Oak from Pokémon Home. Fans frequently reference his dialogue. While he’s not overly involved in Gen 1's plot, being one of the most prominent researchers means he’s important in the larger scope of the Pokémon world. He’s as inseparable from the franchise as Pikachu is.
Professor Kukui
Alola’s Professor may not be the most well-known, but he’s definitely the most fun. He’s a specialist in Pokémon attacks who has been known to take hits from them to learn. He used this knowledge to compete in Kanto’s Pokémon League and even battle then-champion Lance. After that, he returned home to help set up a League in Alola.
He’s also a wrestler named the Masked Royal. He’s a presence in the plot, frequently appearing to help out and even exchanges barbs with Team Skull’s leader. Kukui is a memorable character that brought so much personality into a role usually reserved for tutorials, making him the most unique and excellent Professor.