Today the department seminar was given by a historian about one of the pillars, nay, founders of (one of) my field(s). I've never listened to a history seminar before. I'm pretty sure this is the first one of its kind in my department since I've been there.
It was mildly interesting to learn about this Founding Father of my -ology and I've no doubt that the information will be useful to me someday at some level. But this kind of history is just not my cup of tea, so while a talk about something so different was refreshing, I hope seminars like this don't become too frequent. Also, the speaker handed out hard copies of his PowerPoint presentation so we could take notes. It disgusted me a little to see all that paper just destined for the trash being passed around the room.
I did find one thing really interesting in the talk: there were many women in the photos documenting field research from the 1890's - 1930's. Apparently, these women were Founding Father's students. I wonder what they did after they earned their degrees, since it doesn't seem like they went on to establish notable research careers (or maybe they did but didn't get credit for it). The speaker hypothesized that the women chose to major in -ology and to participate in Founding Father's field trips because it was one of the few opportunities for them to get outdoors and get dirty. Interesting thought.
7 comments:
That's an interesting theory on the women students. It does seem strange, though, that none of these women continued to want to get outdoors and get dirty. Unless then it was time for them to get married/have kids? (As that was the societal norm at that time period, I think.)
That sounds like a very familiar story, though I can't quite place it.
When I worked at the USGS for a brief time in the mid-70's, there was a female geologist there who was over retirement age, and she had been doing field work for a very long time - and it was a very unusual thing. She had young, strong male field assistants to carry her rocks around, and her mother, who was in her late 80's or 90's, went out in the field with her.
I don't know if these stories overlap in any way, and I'd have to do a lot of research to come up with her name, but it is indeed very interesting about your Founding Father (whoever!).
They probably left to have families or else continued to work but not advance like the men did.
SF, that's a cool story about the USGS scientist. I guess young, strong male field assistants = the right tools. :)
OK, when I'm in my 80s I'm going to go on field trips with young, strong male field assistants. Sound like a plan?
i am so curious (or maybe i'm nosy?) as to what your fields are?! i keep thinking i know or recognize something and then the next time i don't. i think it is great you are in three fields! i heart interdisciplinary.
cae, I think your field assistants will need kilts!
JustMe, I heart interdisciplinary too. Except when I don't. :)
That goes without saying!
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