Science IS for girls! - Women’s Adventures in Science
August 12, 2009
It’s sad, but it’s true. Even in today’s world of equality and opportunity for all, the typical public stereotype of a scientist is middle-aged, male, and wearing a white lab coat and glasses. Women’s Adventures in Science is set up to try to dispel that stereotype.
As the title suggests, this website highlights the work of several important female scientists. After a brief introduction to the website from your guide, Lia, you can select from several options for exploration. You can learn further about 10 scientists and their current research. An interesting one is Mimi Koehl, a biomechanist. She studies how living things work, physically. On each scientist’s webpage is information about her research as well as a quick lab designed to demonstrate some of the ideas that she is researching. In addition to the profiles of the scientists, there is an interactive time line featuring important women in Science; a few games based on the scientists’ research; and a discussion forum where students can register and ask questions about science. For teachers, there is a Teacher’s Guide that gives tips on how to best use the website with your class. Additionally, the website is a companion to a series of 10 books about these scientists. They are all recommended by the National Science Teachers’ Association and would be great additions to your school media center.
If we all get out there and expose our students to websites such as this, maybe the next time a bunch of researchers asks a group of kids to “draw a scientist,” there will be more women in the selection.
Related stuff:
Visit Greenland without the cold: A blog from the Greenland summit
Girls on Ice sends female students on a free mountaineering expedition
She Blinded Them with Science: Girls Sweep National Science Contest
