I have the tech needed, but my adept scientist is lazy, lmao.
She doesn't seem to want to research, since everyone else has pulled their weight and there is no food or housing worries, all she wants to do is relax and chat.
Is there anything else I can do to get her up to master besides hauling her to the table every time she leaves?

Ooooooh! You're mean! Poor little villagers aren't allowed to relax in your game?

Seriously, the villagers will spend some of their time doing other things once their urgent needs are met. You can micro-manage them (as I still sometimes do), or you can just relax and let them do what they want to do.