February 11 is International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a day where we highlight the need for women’s full and equal access to and participation in science. This is a day to call for action to ensure that women are granted equal opportunities for employment, research funding, academic opportunities and leadership roles. It is also a day to celebrate all of the women who are crushing it in the scientific community.
While we are proud of the fact that the scientists on our staff here at Fiera Biological make up the majority of our team, we have all had female scientists who have influenced us, mentored us and set an example for what was possible as we advanced in our careers.
On this International Day of Women and Girls in Science, let us introduce you to two women scientists that have been particularly impactful for us:
Gretchen Daily is definitely up there on our list. Her work has been integral to incorporating the value of nature into planning, policy and management. She has brought together environmentalists and economists and ensured that our natural capital base truly is accounted for in decision making in a way that focuses on societal transformation. Her affiliations and awards speak for themselves!
In the mapping vein of what we focus on at Fiera, we are in awe of Valerie Thomas, a satellite imagery pioneer who is responsible for a lot of the initial program development and analysis of Landsat data through her three-decade career with NASA. She also invented the patented illusion transmitter, which is still used by NASA today. Thomas has been integral in mentoring many students, particularly women of colour such as herself. It is women like this that are building a more inclusive space in the realm of science and transforming the community to one that may one day be free of gender bias.
And while we are at it, here are the women in science on the Fiera Biological Team!:
Dr. Shari Clare, President, CEO, Science Director, Senior Biologist, Co-Founder
Dr. Shantel Koenig, Senior Landscape Ecologist &GIS and Remote Sensing Specialist
Terra Simieritsch, Senior Project Manager and illustrator
Fiera Biological Women in Science, past and present!
