#Ripplesofdoubt & #Ripplesofhope

Right now, there's a fascinating discussion on Twitter about the experiences of women in scientific disciplines. Search the hashtag #ripplesofdoubt and you'll read story after story of women who were harassed or devalued in their chosen careers due to their gender. Fortunately, #ripplesofhope is being used to discuss ways to improve the STEM fields for women - and to share stories of how things are improving.

I wrote about my experiences as a state environmental site assessor during the 1990's. As part of my job when I went to the field, I had to wear a hard hat (infrequently) and steel-toed boots (always). Well, guess what? The stores in my area didn't offer regular steel-toed boots in my size (remember, this was before ordering on the Internet). I had to buy blue boots with a tiny red and pink rose bud on each heel. It was so embarrassing. The stupid boots weren't even waterproof and every time they got wet, they stained my toes blue.

I felt the difference keenly because I already felt inadequate in the field.. I was in my early 20s, straight out of college, and frankly, I was a girly girl. The lab guys I worked with regularly were around my age and we got along well. But the representatives of the companies that I had to meet - companies that were liable for the cost of remediating whatever contamination we were sampling -  were another story. I always felt like these guys were trying to throw me off of my game. Over time, I learned to dress down in the field - no make-up, no jewelry, my hair in a ponytail - because it gained me credibility with the men I had to meet. (Also, because wearing jewelry on a potentially hazardous waste site is a really stupid idea because if it gets contaminated, you have to leave it there, but I digress.) Interestingly enough, by the time I left my job in 1999, roughly half of the new hires with jobs similar to mine were women. But when I started, the skew was largely toward men. By the time I left, I felt confident of myself in the field.

There was still gender bias in the office, though, and I never felt it more deeply than the time I overheard two of my older male co-workers insinuating that I was having a sexual encounter with a young male co-worker, simply because we were going out to lunch together. I was appalled on so many levels. How do you forgive a comment like that? My mouth dropped open and they caught me looking at them. And they laughed. They laughed, so I did too. But I never forgot. And I never forgave.

The man making the comments was a creepy, touchy-feely sort of guy. The girls on my floor used to joke about how he always leered at the new girls in their skirts and we couldn't wait until a new girl was hired so that he would stop looking at us. But no one ever thought to report him. It was sexual harassment, but it wasn't like it was rape or assault. Where do you draw the line? When do you report the behavior? I wonder now, since I didn't report it, was I complicit with the result? I'd like to think that today, I'd be able to stand up to such sexual bullying. But I wouldn't be a target now. I'm older, married with children, and simply not on anyone's radar. It's more important for me to look out for and protect younger women, especially those who might be as insecure as I was.

Reading #ripplesofdoubt was eye-opening for me because I never realized how many other women had experienced these same things. When we share our experiences, it can be very powerful. And when we turn our newfound knowledge toward action, we can create #ripplesofhope.

[Author's note:Twitter is a dynamic, ever changing online conversation, so I can't guarantee that these hashtags will still convey the same message if you search them now on Twitter.]

Mighty Math Powers

My three-year-old daughter and I have discovered Team Umizoomi, a Nickelodeon program that explores math for young children.  Princess likes watching Milli change patterns with her magic dress or Geo create things with shapes.  But she does not like being told that she also has "mighty math powers."  In fact, she argues back with the television that she doesn't have such powers.

I am admittedly at a loss as to how to deal with this.  Sure, we could just switch the station, or I could ignore her, but I'm worried.  She recently told her older brother that she didn't like watching "boy shows."  Is she already thinking of math as a discipline for boys?  How do I combat that message? 

As you can imagine, I believe in science accessibility for all.  But maybe I haven't been as vocal about math.  My husband is more gifted in math than I am -- Itinerant Cryptographer is internationally known for his abilities.  Have I simply shoved all of the math parenting duties over to him without realizing it?   Have I (unintentionally) projected the message that math is for boys?

My little girl loves to dance, so I pointed out to her that dance steps involve counting and rhythm.  But I'd love to hear your ideas.  If your daughter thinks of math as a "boy" subject, how have you addressed that stereotype?  How do you engage your daughter in math? 

Photo credit: D Sharon Pruitt, via flickr // CC BY 2.0

Adopt-a-Physicist

It's that time again! Registration is open for the fall session of Adopt-a-Physicist. This free program connects high school students with working physicists in an effort to demystify science and promote awareness of STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) careers.


From Kendra Redmond, at the American Institute of Physics:

If your students ever ask…

-What do physicists do?

-What does this have to do with the “real world”?

-Has anything new been discovered in physics since Einstein?

Then consider participating in Adopt-a-Physicist this fall, a free program for high school physics classes hosted by the physics honor society Sigma Pi Sigma. Adopt-a-Physicist connects high school physics students to real physics graduates who are eager to share their stories. Working in areas ranging from particle physics research to freelance writing, the participating physicists embody a huge range of careers, backgrounds, interests, and educational levels. Adopt-a-Physicist connects classes with the physicists of their choice through online discussion forums that are active for a set three-week period. Each physicist can only be "adopted" by up to three classes, making lively, in-depth discussions possible.

Learn more here.  For more details on the program and ideas for incorporating it into your physics class, browse the resources for teachers.

*Teacher Registration: Now - September 12 (or until full)

*Teachers adopt physicists: September 20-28

*Discussion forums open: October 2-22

For more information on Adopt-a-Physicist, visit http://www.adoptaphysicist.org/webdocs/about.cfm or send us an email at editor@adoptaphysicist.org

We are all scientists

In the US, today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day and I've been thinking about equality. I just arrived home from attending Science Online 2010, a science blogging and web communication conference, where I sat in on several talks about citizen science. In one, while discussing the lack of STEM (science, technology, engineering & math) funding for adult science literacy programs, a participant said,

"It's like we've given up on the adults."

This is tragic. Not everyone is going to work in a lab doing research, but everyone can be a scientist. We are all entitled to explore the world through science - it's our birthright. My husband, Itinerant Cryptographer, said it well:

"Everyone should have the opportunity to explore science as far as their interests and abilities can take them."

But in this country, many adults no longer participate in discussions about science. In turn, scientists feel like the general public isn't listening anymore. Both sides are growing more polarized, with the scientists amping up their insistence and the non-scientists becoming more resistant. As someone who has sat on both sides of the table -- as a working scientist and now a stay-at-home mom -- I can see why some people have completely opted out of this discussion.

On the plus side, practicing scientists are often generous with their time. They love to be asked about their work. Many share their knowledge freely with those who are interested. Frankly, I find most scientists to be nice folks when you get to know them. (And I love ecologists. I know I am biased here, but people who want to save the planet tend to be kind.)

But scientists can be an intimidating lot to the uninitiated. Some researchers are so steeped in their work that they can't imagine why someone would see things differently. They don't hesitate to tell you so -- this is their life's work and they know it well. But this passionate viewpoint can sound aggrandizing, or worse, insulting. The non-scientist (or non-practicing stay-at-home mom science blogger) might leave the conversation feeling frustrated, angry, and unheard. As John Morley once said, "You have not converted a man because you have silenced him."

Where does this leave us? It's terrible for the future of science. Scientists need to get the word out about their research. Non-scientists need to hear the message, but their concerns must be addressed by the scientific community. Nothing is going to improve if we don't all start listening to one another.

In order for this to happen, though, everyone needs to feel welcome at the table of science. Whether you are a four-year-old stargazer or a distinguished Nobel Laureate, your concerns and ideas matter. You are a part of this conversation.

If you felt unwelcome in scientific discussions before, let this be your ticket in. Please come back to the table of science. We need you here. All of our futures depend upon it.

"Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase."
-- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Photo credit: Linda Byers, National Park Service

Help! I'm more than 1,292,976,000 seconds old!

I feel ancient after visiting GirlsGoTech, an online math, science, and technology outreach program from the Girl Scouts. You can learn about careers in science, html code and the Internet (and find out how many seconds old you are!), try cryptic codes, make your own mandala (and learn about mathematics and symmetry), discover how your brain processes information, and compose digital music.

The GirlsGoTech Mandala Maker reminded me of Make-A-Flake (although it took me a bit longer to learn to use the Mandala Maker). What do you think of my mandala?


With either of these programs, you will create a design with several lines of symmetry. Can you see where the lines of symmetry are on this design? How can you fold this circle in half so that both sides have an identical pattern?

Click on the image above to visit GirlsGoTech and their nifty Mandala Maker to design your own!