WISENET Journal No. 34, March 1994, p. 19
Originally I was involved in wholesale and retail business management, real estate, and cattle farming. Other than that, horses and going to parties were my life. Then a certain man came along and offered me an attractive package which included himself and science (geochemistry in particular). I bought in on the deal, and am now married with a child, a mortgage, and a science degree, but no horse (as yet) and less time to party.
My involvement with science started with the said male carting me around in the field, as cook and research assistant, and introducing me to environmental chemistry and geology/ sedimentology. I learnt fast with individual and constant tuition. I also used to visit him at UWA and assist with whatever work he was doing on research projects, and have lunch at the staff club.
I enjoyed the atmosphere at the university, and found that the academics were quite nice people to be around (albeit pleasantly eccentric) - at least most appeared to have a brain and used it most of the time.
By time I married the strange hairy geologist I had decided that science looked like it might be good fun - a better lurk anyway than being in business and having to behave myself everyday; I liked going in the field, so I thought I might continue with it further.
All I figured I'd have to do was raise my brain above my belt or out of a glass occasionally, and I'd get along fine. Anyway, it seemed to be a better idea for married life that we were both involved in the same thing, rather than have each of us off in different directions.
My husband then got a job at the university in Lismore, so we moved to NSW. I decided to do the degree in Coastal Management offered by the faculty, and enrolled. While enrolled I continued to work as a research assistant in analytical geochemistry. I also had a baby; it was the Head of Department's fault because he fell asleep one night in the field when he should have been protecting my husband's honour by preventing me from claiming my debts arising from a card game earlier in the evening.
Personally, I don't recommend being an undergraduate student, working in a lab and in the field, and having a baby simultaneously - it's too hard to work out your timetable so you can be in 3 places all at once. However, I managed, and recently finished off the degree.
I think more women should consider science for a career; you're never too old to start. It's a lot of fun and isn't half as hard as some people make out In fact, I'd say science is a whole heap easier (because it's more logically based) than many of the social science/ law type subjects that I've done.
Science also provides excellent travel opportunities if you get involved in field research - you get to see places that other people just dream of or pay a fortune to see. Environmental geochemistry is good because it can take you to all sorts of places anywhere in the world, and the work is always interesting and in high demand. I enjoy what I'm doing, I like the university atmosphere and the work keeps me out of mischief most of the time.
I was going to do honours this year but I've got more than enough to keep me occupied with various bits of research and consultancy work, and we are going on Sabbatical leave the second half of this year to New Zealand, USA, Canada, England and Scotland. So the honours can wait a year.
Then I plan to do a PhD so I can put Dr on my credit cards and get my own research projects. All in all that probably maps out most of the rest of this century for me. I probably should get around to having another baby too, but I'll put that one in the 'too hard basket' for the time being. The PhD sounds like the easier option. At least a PhD won't shit in its nappy, well hopefully not anyway.
I'll worry about what to do next century when it happens.