Celebrating Diversity in Science
On Thursday morning, Head of Biology Mrs Carey led a whole school assembly on the subject of Science!
She was joined on stage in the Croston Theatre by INSPIRED Sixth Formers and science enthusiasts Michaela and Poppy. Firstly, Mrs Carey asked the audience to describe the images that come to mind that would best describe a typical scientist. Stereotypes were clear and Mrs Carey pointed out how in more recent times, diversity within the scientific field is essential, promoted and valued.
Traditionally, science was seen as quite a male dominated area, whereas today, the ratio of men to women in senior levels of science are much more equal and this has helped to dispel many old-fashioned views of science as a whole. Today there is much more emphasis on improving diversity and inclusion in Science.
Famous astronaut, Helen Sharman, was then mentioned as someone who had helped to break down barriers for women in the field of science. Initially a chemist, she went on to become the first British Astronaut and spent eight days in space orbiting the Earth, in a project called Project Juno. Helen Sharman is special to Westholme as she visited here 30 years ago, in July 1994, to open the Westholme Science Laboratories as our guest of honour.
Some famous world-changing scientific discoveries in the last 30 years were then highlighted. Scientists have mapped the human genome, photographed black holes and discovered dark energy, developed synthetic molecular motors in nanotechnology, and much more!
Finally, a video was shown to highlight some amazing scientific facts, comparing everyday occurrences to amazing scientific reactions and discoveries.
Thank you to Mrs Carey, Michaela and Poppy for presenting the assembly.
