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It’s Shorty Awards Season! Shorty Awards honor the best content producers on social media. Take a look at this Q & A with two women nominated for Shorty Awards in the Science category.
Melissa Marquez:
Photo courtesy of Melissa Marquez.
What is your role in the science world?
I've dabbled in a bit of research as well as conservation and science education. I like to think of myself as the "middle person," that is, one who can take the latest research and make it easy to understand for the general public.
What made you want to pursue this career path?
I have always been interested in the ocean, even from a young age. In our yearly trips to visit family in Puerto Rico, you could always find me by the tide pools or snorkeling. I'd even buy old marine biology textbooks and read them for fun! It astounds me that we have so much more to discover, and I've always been drawn to that sense of mystery.
Does being a woman make you a minority in this field?
There are actually a lot of inspirational women in my specific field, but it just takes a bit of digging around to find them. Are there as many as there could be? No way. There is much left to be desired when it comes to the number of women in science fields in general. That's why I'm thankful that organizations like Gills Club exist to help foster that love of science early in girls. I love having girls come up to me after my presentations and whisper, "I want to be like you when I grow up. Thanks." It's wonderful when any kid does that, regardless of gender, but it makes my heart swell a bit more when the girls are revved up.
Why do you want to win a Shorty Award for your tumblr?
It would be really cool to have Sarasota Fins reach a national platform through the Shorty Awards. So, I’m actually doing this for shark conservation, shark education and shark awareness. The Shorty Awards aren't world famous, but they are talked about on social media. Seeing a young woman get an award for scientific outreach may also help younger girls think, "You know, if she can do it, why can't I?" It's all about inspiration and outreach!
Dr. Christie Wilcox:
What is your role in the science world? Photo courtesy of Melissa Marquez.
I am a recently-minted PhD that has been actively involved in science communication and outreach since starting a blog in 2008. I currently am a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Hawaii at Manoa working on box jelly venoms as well as a freelance science writer with a blog for Discover Magazine. I am working on a book on venoms to be published in 2016. I'm also an avid supporter of the use of social media for science communication, and have taught workshops and given lectures for other scientists on how to use Twitter and other platforms for outreach and education.
What made you want to pursue this career path?
I became a scientist in part because of my love for animals and nature in general — as a part of that, I became particularly fascinated by venomous animals (I studied venomous fish for my PhD and now am working on jellyfish as a post-doc). I became a writer because I love talking about science to others. Whenever I read a new study or learn some new, awesome fact about life on this planet, I think "Wow, that's cool!" and my first instinct is to find the nearest person and tell them why I think it's so cool.
Does being a woman make you a minority in this field?
In biological science, not really. It's one of the few STEM fields with a lot of women. But, as both a scientist and science writer, I've noticed that women get less notoriety and commendation than men. There are plenty of women both in biological science and writing about it, but more often than not, the awards and the high-profile publications end up with a male bias.
Why do you want to win a Shorty Award?
I think winning a Shorty Award would be an incredible honor. I spend so much time trying to interact with others, to share my enthusiasm and love of science. It would be nice to know that such efforts make a difference and are meaningful to others. To me, winning a Shorty means that I've gotten people excited about biology and really engaged them — and that's the whole point!