Particle accelarators, science communication and disability
I’m a physicist working as a web manager and technical writer for Diamond Light Source, the UK national synchrotron facility. Synchrotrons are a form of particle accelerator, not a collider like CERN - instead we accelerate electrons to produce incredibly bright beams of X-rays. The X-rays are used by UK academics and other scientists to study a wide range of materials, from proteins to industrial catalysts to cultural heritage artefacts.
I’ve always been fascinated by science and what it can achieve, and my dad was a chemist, so I grew up thinking science was a normal career choice. After graduating, I joined the National Physical Laboratory, where I specialised in electromagnetics, working on large antennae like mobile phone masts.
One morning on my way to work I saw a headline in a national paper reporting on research I’d been involved with. The story had been leaked by a client and it was completely out of context! After that I became more involved in how science is communicated, not just in the media but also between scientists of different disciplines.
At the same time I was diagnosed with dystonia, a neurological condition that made the practical aspects of research work very difficult – I use a wheelchair and can only walk short distances. So when a post opened in knowledge transfer I moved across to that.
Other than that I don’t feel my disability has affected me much in my career. It’s hard to say whether others have experienced anything similar as I have never met another disabled scientist! Its strange because probably the world’s most famous living physicist has Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis but either few people own up to disabilities or they are just not out there.
I feel that as science becomes increasingly multi-disciplinary it is more and more important to try and break down language barriers between the sciences. The best part of my job is visiting scientists in their own laboratories. One example was the Mary Rose Trust, which used Diamond to look at chemical compounds in the timbers of the Mary Rose. And we worked with the Natural History Museum - there is a piece on my Nature Network blog about my visit there.
I write the blog fairly regularly. Blogs are a great tool for communicating between scientists and there do seem to be a high proportion of women scientists using them as tools. This site is a good example!
Sara Fletcher is a participant in the Resonant Frequency Project (exploring disability, science and art), and the Sync 100 Disability and Leadership Project. She runs a blog on Nature Network (where she sometimes writes about disability and science) and is a STEMNET Ambassador and member of GetSET Women.
For more information about knowledge transfer visit the Institute for Knowledge Transfer.
Recent BBC press coverage on Diamond: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7611522.stm, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6331883.stm
Comments
Jane Butcher:
Hi Sara, I work at the UKRC leading on our services to support women's careers. Can I welcome to the GetSET women blog on behalf of the UKRC. I am interested in the points you make about science communication and knowledge transfer. At the UKRC we have recently been actively promoting responses to the Government Consultation on Science and Society and our submission is now available on the Influencing Policy section of the website. http://www.ukrc4setwomen.org/html/about-ukrc/influencing-policy/a-vision-for-science-and-society/ There was lots of debate about the relative valueing of science communication and what it might mean to have more women working in this area for the level of trust and openness about science as a whole. We are keen to know more also about how women\'s role in Knowledge Transfer can be extended and whether this represents an area where we could be doing more to encourage women and potentially for returners to science and technology to have more of a role. Be great to know more about the practical issues. Best wishes and look forward to more discussion
Sara:
I'm not sure that having more women involved in science communication will have any effect on the level of trust and openness about science as a whole. I do think there are benefits in the role that science communicators play in the education system - often going into schools to give added inspiration to children studying science - in promoting science as a good career choice for girls (and in my case also disabled children). Knowledge transfer is a different kettle of fish, although there are shared skills. One problem for women returning to science after a career break is that their specialist knowledge has become out of date. I think this is less of an issue in knowledge transfer where it is more important to have a broad overview of the field and the ability to learn quickly than the highly specialised knowledge needed for benchtop research.
Rachel:
Hi Sara You mentioned that you are a STEMNET Ambassador and you talk to school children - including disabled children. I am interested in the power of role models. I haven't seen any written evidence that role models work - i.e. they change attitudes and behaviours and lead to career and life choices - but my experience is that they can be influential. What are your thoughts?
Sara:
I think it's very difficult to gather written evidence on something like role models - our decisions are influenced by a huge range of factors, not all of them conscious. When I do go into schools I don't necessarily try and persuade kids to go into science, I try to show them that it's a valid career choice, just like being a policeman or a teacher, and that it's just as valid for women and disabled people. I think if I have shown them that being a disabled woman scientist is actually quite normal then I've done my job!
Ruth Wilson (UKRC moderator):
Hi Sara, I have read that women can tend to feel daunted by some role models, 'I could never achieve what she has'. But that in the longer run role models can alter perceptions and aspirations. But I don't know the evidence base - you have got me thinking about how one might measure the impact of role models... In a sense everyone is a role model, and what we are trying to do when we encourage science/engineering/technology women and people with disabilities to share their achievements is break social trends that tend to exclude or hold back. I have noticed that some of our one-off bloggers (including yourself) mention a parent as a role model... On a more practical note, could you describe briefly the training you get for the Ambassador role? Thanks.
Ruth Wilson (UKRC moderator):
There's a nice piece about a visit to Diamond Light Source here: http://network.nature.com/people/scurry/blog/2008/11/06/donuts-is-there-anything-they-cant-do (good photo too)
Anna Sheridan:
Hi Sara It's great to see another woman with a disability in science. I've had ME for 9 years - since the middle of my PhD and have worked as a post-doc in 3 different Universities and more recently as an RCUK academic fellow. As it is a 'hidden' disability I've found it quite hard at times - I look fine, but know when I have to stop and rest. Mostly my employers have been very good about flexible working, so I've been able to work partly from home when I've needed to. I think there does need to be more awareness from employers (in male dominated areas) though - in other fields where there are lots of women already, flexibility and part-time working is totally accepted.
Linda Baines:
Yes, I agree wth the need for role models, and it's interesting to see that women working in knowledge transfer (KT) form a significantly higher proportion of women. There are also some signifcant networking opportunities; for example, see: http://www.ginnn.com KT's also an area where, while it's good to have a science or engineering, or other specialist background, it also needs other skills and experience, such as business development, entrepreneurial, financial and commercial. I'm one of the latter, who are mostly in the background, enabling scientists, engineers and technologists get their ideas and results of their research out into the public domain. It'd be really good if UKRC was interested in widening its scope to include us as well. Regards Linda Baines, Head of Membership Services, IKT
Sara Fletcher:
Hi Anna, good to hear from you too! I have thought that there must be other disabled scientists but as you highlight, sometimes they are hidden. I agree with your point about awareness as well - whilst I haven't experienced active discrimination in my career I've certainly come across some unenlightened attitudes, which I hope I have gone some way to change... Linda - knowledge transfer is a really interesting career, and one where a scientific background is really useful. I'm not really as active in knowledge transfer as I used to be, but it is an area I'd really like to move back into at some point. Ruth - I agree with what you say about everyone being a role model, you are not always aware of the influence you may have. That is the sense in which I see myself as a role model, not inspiring people as much as demonstrating what is possible. Regarding ambassador training, STEMNET offers standard training courses for potential ambassadors - www.stemnet.org.uk
Sarah Pemberton:
Hi Sara / Linda… I’m intrigued to know more about knowledge transfer partnerships. I’ve previously worked in a scientific organisation where disagreements over Intellectual Property Rights sometimes prevented or made it more difficult for organisations and businesses to benefit from each others skills, knowledge and expertise. Do issues around commercial sensitivity come into play with KTPs? It seems like working in the knowledge arena would require lots of different sorts of transferrable skills from project management to communication. Could you give me a flavour for what you think are the most important skills and attributes for this kind of work?
Ruth Wilson (UKRC moderator):
Linda, thank you for your comments. An important part of the work of UKRC is with individuals and organisations that work to promote and support women SET professionals, and/or are working in fields very closely related to core SET areas. Women working in knowledge transfer in connection with science/engineering/technology/built environment are very welcome as members of our GetSETWomen network, whatever their background. (That's an opportunity for me to mention that GetSETWomen has gathered lots of momentum recently, and is being updated and improved... but I can't fix the date yet for the new look!)
Linda Baines:
Sarah, KTPs are not something that my organisation (STFC) has been involved in so far. However we are exploring with the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) how we can use them in various KT activities. See: http://www.innovateuk.org/deliveringinnovation/knowledgetransferpartnerships.ashx Working in KT does need a range of transferable skills. AURIL (a KT network for universities & public research organisations) has developed a framework of these based around 8 core competencies (See: www.auril.org.uk). What is interesting about KT is that you don't need to be expert in many or all of the issues, there's plenty of training and different ways of learning and networking, and when you move out of the sector, the skills can easily be applied in other areas. Ruth, Interesting that GetSETWomen network is now open to those of us working in KT. When I flagged the issue, earlier this year, I was led to understand that it was more focused on 'proper' scientists and engineers. So this is welcome news and I'd be happy to help (as I know IKT would). Linda
Linda Baines:
Sara, KTPs are not something that my organisation (STFC) has been involved in so far. However we are exploring with the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) how we can use them in various KT activities. See: http://www.innovateuk.org/deliveringinnovation/knowledgetransferpartnerships.ashx Working in KT does need a range of transferable skills. AURIL (a KT network for universities & public research organisations) has developed a framework of these based around 8 core competencies (See: www.auril.org.uk). What is interesting about KT is that you don't need to be expert in many or all of the issues, there's plenty of training and different ways of learning and networking, and when you move out of the sector, the skills can easily be applied in other areas. Ruth, Interesting that GetSETWomen network is now open to those of us working in KT. When I flagged the issue, earlier this year, I was led to understand that it was more focused on 'proper' scientists and engineers. So this is welcome news and I'd be happy to help (as I know IKT would). Linda
Ruth Wilson (UKRC moderator):
We look forward to welcoming you as a member, Linda :-)
Helen:
The Royal Society commisioned some research and produced a good practice guide in relation to Role Models a few years ago. You can get access to it via their website http://www.royalsociety.org
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