Since 2017, I decided to change my social media handles from @StephSchuttler to @FancyScientist. I was given this name and I loved it! But have you ever stopped and wondered, when coming across my content, what exactly is a Fancy Scientist?
Listen to What is a Fancy Scientist:
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Well, that is what this podcast episode is all about! Despite running this blog for 7 years, changing all of my social accounts, and forming my small business under the same name, I realized I never really told the story of HOW I became known as the Fancy Scientist…
And it’s important to me because over the years, I’ve received emails from numerous members of my audience who’ve read my story and told me that it really resonated with them, that they also didn’t feel like they quite fit in in the wildlife biology field.
My nickname goes back to when I was a postdoc, working on the eMammal project with middle school teachers. To them and their students, I didn’t look like the stereotypical scientist, especially a wildlife biologist. For starters, I’m a woman, and I showed up to work in makeup, high heels, and with sparkly jewelry. Proudly defying these norms, I became known as the Fancy Scientist.
But I didn’t always proudly defy these norms…
"It is really an act of defiance...it's so important that we have diversity within our field, not just with gender and race, but in the kinds of people that make up scientists."
But later, when I fully embraced being a Fancy Scientist, and working in the eye of the public in bright colors and glitter, I served as a reminder to both myself and the future generation that you can be both fancy AND a scientist.
As a business owner, I also defined what being a Fancy Scientist means through my company values. And I didn’t want it to be exclusive. What about people who aren’t fancy in the traditional sense that we think of? Can they be Fancy Scientists too?
“Go outside, get dirty, and then put on high heels, a dress, makeup, and go out, and you could be that same person. You don't have to change who you are."
The answer is yes! What you’ll learn from this episode is that being fancy is more than just makeup and sparkles; it’s about being unexpected, unconventional, and apart from the norm. But most importantly, it’s about the courage to be yourself loudly and proudly!
Specifically, I go over:
- The origin of the name “Fancy Scientist”
- What is a Fancy Scientist, and how I define it to be inclusive
- How the public, especially children, perceives scientists
- The importance of representation and breaking stereotypes in science
- How community science engages the public, especially children
- Mental health and how to be true to yourself
- and MORE!
“Now little girls can see people who are women working in science and be like, yeah, I can do that, because I know people who have those jobs.'”
Resources and Sources in What is a Fancy Scientist:
This episode was prepared and edited by Christina Weber.
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