Pokemon Professors are a staple in the show. There is one in every region Ash visits, and they all have plant names O.o Anyway, these people study pokemon for a living. They also help new trainers get started, keep track of their progress, and keep their extra pokemon for them. So far we have met Professor Oak (Indigo), Professor Ivy (Orange Islands), Professor Elm (Johto), and Professor Birch (Hoenn). Their personalities differ, from the rather unemotional Ivy, to the over enthusiastic, sometimes childlike Birch, and the scholarly (sometimes annoying) Elm, but all are devoted to pokemon and to helping new trainers discover the wonders of the pokemon world.