She's such a geek! (Women write about science, technology, & other nerdy stuff)

[atommom]

Has anyone read this book yet? It looks very promising. Wish it had been written 20 years ago, in fact. :)


http://www.shessuchageek.com/

[ismnotwasm]

1. I'll put it on my list

(I'm behind two books)

I've been on wikipedia reading up on my chemistry and trying to understand the second law of thermodynamics and entropy (without the math)I get the basic math of it I mean, but I'd need a few classes to wrap my mind around the simplest calculations.

What's bizarre is I find myself so very attracted to the sciences. I'm 46. I wonder which direction I'd have gone in if that had been encouraged in women my age. I "came of age" so to speak in the '70's. The women's liberation movement was and is still struggling with the math and science issue--You know with those idiot studies coming out now and again basically saying males are "better" at the science. I haven't seen one in a while, must be time for one to pop up.

[atommom]

2. Oh, people are still saying that, but you know what?

Fuck 'em. :D

I've always been very much drawn to the sciences. So I can understand your interest, and I'd encourage you to pursue it as far as you wish. If nothing else, it will help your neurons stay healthy and keep your wits sharp. I think it's important for people to continue learning.

[ismnotwasm]

3. Thank you!

I'm going back to school in a few months for a advanced nursing degree, and the area I'm working in (transplant) deals with both autoimmune disorders and immunosuppression. Fascinating stuff.

I'm trying to ramp up my mind out of that "need to know" mentality to what I want to know. (Which is everything, but I'll settle for what I can get)

[atommom]

4. I love immunology!

Our immune systems are so complicated that it's a wonder they rarely go bad. Enjoy your studies. :hi:

[lizerdbits]

6. What direction many women would have gone in

My mom went to college in the 60's for nursing (in the Army actually, also went to anti-war protests but never got "busted") because she didn't know what else was out there. Her family was very conservative and women went to school for teaching or nursing as far as she knew. I studied microbiology/immunology and she loved looking at my books when I came home for breaks. She's said several times she would have loved to go into what I did but she didn't even know that was a possibility.
I'm tired of hearing how males are better in science and math. Over half of most of my upper level science classes were women. My sister has a MS in electrical engineering. My dad had to take calculus 3 times to pass.

[atommom]

7. I still remember one elderly aunt reminiscing about how much she would

have loved to become a mathematician. Instead, she was shoehorned into being a schoolteacher (the default occupation for smart women in those days).

[eridani]

5. It's a very good read. n/t