Professor Yvonne Buckley on the importance of networking, role models and science communication...
We're very happy to announce our second speaker of the semester: Professor Yvonne Buckley!
Professor Yvonne Buckley is the chair of Zoology at the Trinity Centre for Biodiversity Research, Trinity College Dublin. Working with ecological theory and data, she pursues understanding of the fundamental drivers behind population processes. This information is then used to support decisions in biodiversity conservation, invasive species management and habitat restoration. In her career, Yvonne has travelled the globe, from Australia to Turkey and Vietnam, before settling into her job at the University of Dublin.
Here she is talking about the COMPADRE plant matrix database, which contains demographic information on hundreds of plant species found across the globe.
Yvonne is particularly enthusiastic about science communication, the importance of role models and networking – just our kind of thing! Last year she spoke at a Soapbox Science event in Dublin, and expressed her passion for what she does in an interview (which can be found here).
“One of the great problems of our time is that as science becomes more and more essential to our everyday lives the public are getting increasingly remote from science. We have a responsibility to connect with the public, after all they fund our work, influence our governments to consider our findings and ultimate should benefit from our discoveries. I also like that Soapbox Science challenges the public’s perceptions of who scientists are. When I was going through my early career it was really important for me to see women with families and “normal lives” succeeding in scientific careers. Without those role models I might have thought it wasn’t the world for me.”
In the same interview, Yvonne talks about the gender bias seen in science, and comments on how networking can help to rectify this issue. She certainly has some great ideas on the subject of gender representation in science, and seems to be brimming with tips for those wanting to pursue careers in academia. We can’t wait to hear what she has to say to the APS Femwork!
Come and meet Yvonne at 5-6pm on Monday 23rd February in the BMS Conference Room.
