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“She’s a Real Scientist Daddy!”
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As I walked towards the junior school classrooms of Methodist Ladies’ College
(MLC) ready to begin my third day as Scientist in Residence, a Science Week
initiative, I was greeted by many young students as they arrived with their
parents. Shortly after one particularly enthusiastic “hello Jane” I heard the
retort “She’s a real scientist daddy!” It seems that the presence
of a
female
scientist not only provided a strong message for the young students, but that
this message reached a broader audience beyond the classroom.
After many years working as a field geologist I changed my career focus to that
of education, and today introduce science to pre-service primary school
teachers at RMIT University. Certainly geology remains close to my heart, and I
continue to find geology exciting and immensely satisfying. Why then did I
change? The answer to this corresponds closely with my motivation for
participating in activities such as the Science in Residence program - women can
be productive and influential scientists, and even more significantly, bring
unique and valuable perspectives to science fields, and yet, this message is not
being related to young women in a way that encourages continued participation in
science.
I found that students at MLC held common stereotypical images and expectations
of science and scientists at work, and asked questions such as “Do I work in
a lab’?, Do I wear a white coat?” and “Do I do experiments?”
One of my goals was to introduce students to the idea that science is not always
simply about laboratory experiments, or determining true or false answers, but
that much science involves imagination and creativity, and particularly in
relation to geology is about creating stories. I explained my contribution to
science by re-telling the stories that features of some rocks reveal to me about
their history, their journey, and how they contribute to our lives. The idea
that rocks could tell a story was incredibly exciting for many students, who put
their skills to work to develop stories for a chosen rock. The ability of even
the youngest students to relate what they could see and feel in a rock to
natural environments they have experienced previously was quite astounding, and
often remarkably insightful!
Another interesting aspect of chatting to young students was the realisation
that there remains a lack of awareness in our community regarding the derivation
of materials we use each day of our lives, and correspondingly, a lack of
awareness of the role of science in our lives. Many students found it quite
unsettling that items such as their school uniform, their toothpaste or even
their food contained components derived from rocks — fancy wearing something
from the ground! Although students were able to explain the need for vitamins
and minerals in their food, few understood the connection between these ‘health’
minerals, and minerals as components of rocks. The success of our society
embracing sustainable practices depends in part on developing awareness of our
connections with all aspects of our planet, including the non-living resources
we take for granted and which contribute so much to our daily lives. These young
students highlight a critical aspect of our modern society — the gradual
development and maintenance of a daily life in which we are alienated from our
environment. How many of us even touch the ground we walk upon during the course
of our day? As a scientist or geologist, these connections are perhaps central
to my work, but it is as a woman that these connections are most central to my
life. I sincerely hope that the young ladies of MLC begin to reflect upon the
role of science in their lives, and eventually take up the challenge to
contribute to science in ways that shape our society for the better.
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