Posted on by Itumeleng

Awareness and Gratitude

My daily commute to the lab is rarely eventful, it is exactly thirty minutes from my house to my lab bench. Thirty minutes spent listening to my daily dose of Freshlyground, scrolling through my Twitter feed, and planning my day. It is a routine I am accustomed to — a routine that brings me serenity and much-needed structure. You see, structure and routine are very important to me. I have every hour of my day planned out and I know what to and when to do it. But, today’s commute was different.

As the métro began its approach to my intended stop a thought popped into my mind, and I as I slowly walked up the stairs I followed this train of thought, spurred by what I had seen on my Twitter feed. My fellow SAYAS blogger Sipokazi Nyeleka wrote an amazing piece on women in science (here). My intended blog post for this month was on the importance of mentorships in graduates school. I began to think about the numerous women whose work has directly or indirectly influenced how I do science. It was at that moment, at that precise moment when I reached the top of the stairs that I realised the hurdles women face in science, and the amount of privilege my sex and gender has awarded me.

It is from this place of understanding that I began to write this blog post. Like most things in life, the more you think, the more you know. I became aware of the damage and hurt that patriarchy has inflicted upon women and the disenfranchised. Like my fellow blogger, I want to express my boundless gratitude to those amazing scientist who inspired and continue to inspire to be a better scientist. As men, we are made to feel that every space was for us to occupy. And it is this sense of entitlement that puts many men in a position where they are unable to understand the obstacles of many women face in academia — how could we possibly understand if have never experienced it? As with other minority groups, women have always had to work harder, speaker louder to simply have their voices heard. I am fortunate enough to be in an environment that fosters mutual respect and acceptance for all — women, LBGTI, physically challenged groups etc… In closing, I wish to see academia be filled with the spirit that our country has; the Rainbow Nation. It is only through welcoming diversity into the workspace that we can truly transform the academic landscape.

 

Posted on by Mathapelo Seopela

Eureka!

The past couple of months have been very interesting for me, and it’s daunting to know that the year is almost over! For me this means I am getting closer to obtaining my degree, but also that I have made it through home-sickness!

The most important aspect of my time here has been learning. Living and working in an environment that is driven by community engagement, has by far been the highlight of my stay. Through participating in weekly events such as “Science for Citizens” and “Open house”, to volunteering at the “Visitors Centre” at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, I have learnt the importance of actively involving the community in science based learning. These platforms allow researchers and graduate students to show the work they are doing to the community, while encouraging them to learn more about where they live and how they can better understand their impact to the ecosystem. While it may be true that such events are necessary, it also made me aware of something disturbing. In South Africa, past inequalities have translated to severe educational imbalances, meaning there is a truly tiny pool of citizens interested in Science in the first place. Consequently, we have no idea what the current state of the environment is at any given point because we lack the ability to communicate the relevance of our work. Much like our political evolution, science must follow suit. Perhaps it may be too late for senior citizens to learn fundamental science principles, but the generations that follow must be given platforms that expose them to science in action. The inception of such generational wealth, can only be realized when the education system is improved for both learners and teachers, and through active participation by scientists in these programs. For now, inventions, lab experiments and novel ideas must be made simple and applied in areas to assist citizens while educating them.

On a more positive note, I’ve now celebrated my first Halloween! I learnt that this was a day to be scared but also have fun! Subconsciously, this made a lot of sense. It’s perhaps similar to starting your studies, then finding out you’re going to have to leave home and live many kilometers away. At first, such experiences may seem daunting, but as we all know, taking a leap into the abyss has never been a bad thing! I have had much fun, met individuals that have taught me more about myself than they will ever know and participated in some “tourist-like” activities.

In closing, I suppose when we embrace the life that is, and accept the differences among us, we become better human beings. This has been one of those years for me. A journey of many miles, a couple of continents and many more cultures. What remains true is the comfort of knowing that unique character residing in each of us. A girl, who was born in the dusty, cloudy town of eMalahleni, chose to take the oyster and discover her Pearl.