‘Pushing the limits’: experiences of women in tropical peatland research
S. A. Thornton
A B K , S. Cook C , D. Astiani D , K. A. Hapsari E , H. Varkkey F , L. E. S. Cole G , G. C. Dargie H , S. Sjogersten I , N. Z. Zawawi J and S. E. Page A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Centre for Landscape & Climate Research, School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK.
B Borneo Nature Foundation, Jalan Bukit Raya 17, Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, 73112, Indonesia.
C Water Engineering Research Group, School of Engineering, Library Road, University of Warwick, CV4 7AL, UK.
D Department of Forestry, Universitas Tanjungpura, Jalan Imam Bonjol Pontianak, 78124, Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia.
E Department of Palynology and Climate Dynamics, University of Goettingen, Wilhelm-Weber-Strasse 2a, D-37073 Goettingen, Germany.
F Tropical Catchment Research Initiative (TROCARI) and Department of International and Strategic Studies, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
G Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Biosciences Building, Crown Street, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 7ZB, UK.
H School of Geography, Seminary Street, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
I School of Biosciences, Division of Agricultural and Environmental Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, LE12 5RD, UK.
J Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB24 3UU, UK.
K Corresponding author. Email: s.thornton.p@gmail.com
Marine and Freshwater Research 71(2) 170-178 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF19132
Submitted: 12 November 2018 Accepted: 12 July 2019 Published: 24 September 2019
Abstract
Science fields, including tropical peatland research, are facing persistent under-representation of women. In this perspective piece, we explore, as women at different stages of our career, our personal experiences of ‘what is it like to be a woman working in tropical peatland science’? We collected our responses and analysed them thematically. Although we come from a variety of different backgrounds and cultures, our responses all dealt with common issues, such as from practical challenges of being women in the field, persistent sexism, issues of harassment to navigating the politics of research as a woman. The peat swamp is seen as a site of rebellion against traditional gender roles. Senior female role models were also vital for us all, which highlights that mentoring schemes in aquatic and wetland research, as in other science fields, need further consideration and investment. Continuing to improve gender balance is central to effecting a positive change in research culture, and we stress that the issue of the ‘bravado’ surrounding fieldwork needs to be further explored and challenged. By pushing these ‘limits’ both in the field and in the academy, we will not only produce a more equal and compassionate working environment, but also ultimately improve our science.
Additional keywords: conservation, ecology, tropics, wetlands.
References
Avallone, L. M., Hallar, A. G., Thiry, H., and Edwards, L. M. (2013). Supporting the retention and advancement of women in the atmospheric sciences: what women are saying. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 94, 1313–1316.| Supporting the retention and advancement of women in the atmospheric sciences: what women are saying.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bracken, L., and Mawdsley, E. (2004). ‘Muddy glee’: rounding out the picture of women and physical geography fieldwork. Area 36, 280–286.
| ‘Muddy glee’: rounding out the picture of women and physical geography fieldwork.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cho, A. H., Johnson, S. A., Schuman, C. E., Adler, J. M., Gonzalez, O., Graves, S. J., Huebner, J. R., Marchant, D. B., Rifai, S. W., Skinner, I., and Bruna, E. M. (2014). Women are underrepresented on the editorial boards of journals in environmental biology and natural resource management. PeerJ 2, e542.
| Women are underrepresented on the editorial boards of journals in environmental biology and natural resource management.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 25177537PubMed |
Clancy, K. B. H., Nelson, R. G., Rutherford, J. N., and Hinde, K. (2014). Survey of academic field experiences (SAFE): trainees report harassment and assault. PLoS One 9, e102172.
| Survey of academic field experiences (SAFE): trainees report harassment and assault.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Clark Blickenstaff, J. (2005). Women and science careers: leaky pipeline or gender filter? Gender and Education 17, 369–386.
| Women and science careers: leaky pipeline or gender filter?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Daldrup-Link, H. E. (2017). The Fermi paradox in STEM: where are the women leaders? Molecular Imaging & Biology 19, 807–809.
| The Fermi paradox in STEM: where are the women leaders?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Dargie, G. C., Lewis, S. L., Lawson, I. T., Mitchard, E. T. A., Page, S. E., Bocko, Y. E., and Ifo, S. A. (2017). Age, extent and carbon storage of the central Congo Basin peatland complex. Nature 542, 86–90.
| Age, extent and carbon storage of the central Congo Basin peatland complex.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28077869PubMed |
De Welde, K., and Laursen, S. L. (2011). The glass obstacle course: informal and formal barriers for women Ph.D. students in STEM fields. International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology 3, 572–595.
Drury, B. J., Siy, J. O., and Cheryan, S. (2011). When do female role models benefit women? The importance of differentiating recruitment from retention in STEM. Psychological Inquiry 22, 265–269.
| When do female role models benefit women? The importance of differentiating recruitment from retention in STEM.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Englander, K., Yáñez, C., and Barney, X. (2012). Doing science within a culture of machismo and marianismo. Journal of International Women’s Studies 13, 65–85.
Farr, C. M., Bombaci, S. P., Gallo, T., Mangan, A. M., Riedl, H. L., Stinson, L. T., Wilkins, K., Bennett, D. E., Nogeire-McRae, T., and Pejchar, L. (2017). Addressing the gender gap in distinguished speakers at professional ecology conferences. Bioscience 67, 464–468.
| Addressing the gender gap in distinguished speakers at professional ecology conferences.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ford, H. L., Brick, C., Blaufuss, K., and Dekens, P. S. (2018). Gender inequity in speaking opportunities at the American Geophysical Union fall meeting. Nature Communications 9, 1358.
| Gender inequity in speaking opportunities at the American Geophysical Union fall meeting.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 29692409PubMed |
Giesen, W., Wijedasa, L., and Page, S. E. (2018). Unique Southeast Asian peat swamp habitats have relatively few distinct plant species. Mires and Peat 22, 1–13.
Goldstein, J. E. (2016). Knowing the subterranean: producing oil palm, carbon emissions, and divergent expertise in Indonesia’s peatlands. Environment & Planning A 48, 754–770.
| Knowing the subterranean: producing oil palm, carbon emissions, and divergent expertise in Indonesia’s peatlands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Havinga, A. J., and Muller, J. (1981). In memoriam Betje Polak (1901–1980), pioneer of peat research in the Netherlands and in the tropics. Acta Botanica Neerlandica 30, 337–343.
| In memoriam Betje Polak (1901–1980), pioneer of peat research in the Netherlands and in the tropics.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hernandez, P. R., Bloodhart, B., Adams, A. S., Barnes, R. T., Burt, M., Clinton, S. M., Du, W., Godfrey, E., Henderson, H., Pollack, I. B., and Fischer, E. V. (2018). Role modeling is a viable retention strategy for undergraduate women in the geosciences. Geosphere 14, 2585–2593.
| Role modeling is a viable retention strategy for undergraduate women in the geosciences.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hill, C., Corbett, C., and St Rose, A. (2010) Why so few? Women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. (American Association of University Women: Washington, DC, USA.) Available at https://www.aauw.org/files/2013/02/Why-So-Few-Women-in-Science-Technology-Engineering-and-Mathematics.pdf [Verified 13 August 2019].
IPCC (2013). ‘Climate Change 2013: the Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.’ (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK.)
Kay, K., and Shipman, C. (2014) ‘The Confidence Gap. The Confidence Code: the Science and Art of Self-Assurance – What Women Should Know.’ (HarperCollins Publishers: New York, NY, USA.)
Klein, R. S., Voskuhl, R., Segal, B. M., Dittel, B. N., Lane, T. E., Bethea, J. R., Carson, M. J., Colton, C., Rosi, S., Anderson, A., Piccio, L., Goverman, J. M., Benveniste, E. N., Brown, M. A., Tiwari-Woodruff, S. K., Harris, T. H., and Cross, A. H. (2017). Speaking out about gender imbalance in invited speakers improves diversity. Nature Immunology 18, 475–478.
| Speaking out about gender imbalance in invited speakers improves diversity.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28418385PubMed |
Kloß, S. T. (2017). Sexual(ized) harassment and ethnographic fieldwork: a silenced aspect of social research. Ethnography 18, 396–414.
| Sexual(ized) harassment and ethnographic fieldwork: a silenced aspect of social research.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Langenheim, J. H. (1996). Early history and progress of women ecologists: emphasis upon research contributions. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 27, 1–53.
| Early history and progress of women ecologists: emphasis upon research contributions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Larivière, V., Ni, C., Gingras, Y., Cronin, B., and Sugimito, C. R. (2013). Bibliometrics: global gender disparities in science. Nature 504, 211–213.
| Bibliometrics: global gender disparities in science.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 24350369PubMed |
Martin, L. J. (2012). Where are the women in ecology? Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 10, 177–178.
| Where are the women in ecology?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McGuire, K. L., Primack, R. B., and Losos, E. C. (2012). Dramatic improvements and persistent challenges for women ecologists. Bioscience 62, 189–196.
| Dramatic improvements and persistent challenges for women ecologists.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Miettinen, J., Hooijer, A., Vernimmen, R., Liew, S. C., and Page, S. E. (2017). From carbon sink to carbon source: extensive peat oxidation in insular Southeast Asia since 1990. Environmental Research Letters 12, 024014.
| From carbon sink to carbon source: extensive peat oxidation in insular Southeast Asia since 1990.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Page, S. E., Rieley, J. O., Shotyk, W., and Weiss, D. (1999). Interdependence of peat and vegetation in a tropical peat swamp forest. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London – B. Biological Sciences 354, 1885–1897.
| Interdependence of peat and vegetation in a tropical peat swamp forest.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 11605630PubMed |
Page, S. E., Rieley, J. O., and Banks, C. J. (2011). Global and regional importance of the tropical peatland carbon pool. Global Change Biology 17, 798.
| Global and regional importance of the tropical peatland carbon pool.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pante, B. L. P. (2014). Female researchers in a masculine space: managing discomforts and negotiating positionalities. Philippine Sociological Review 62, 65–88.
Pell, A. N. (1996). Fixing the leaky pipeline: women scientists in academia. Journal of Animal Science 74, 2843–2848.
| Fixing the leaky pipeline: women scientists in academia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 8923199PubMed |
Posa, M. R. C., Wijedasa, L. S., and Corlett, R. T. (2011). Biodiversity and conservation of tropical peat swamp forests. Bioscience 61, 49–57.
| Biodiversity and conservation of tropical peat swamp forests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ross, J. A., Scott, G., and Bruce, C. D. (2012). The gender confidence gap in fractions knowledge: gender differences in student belief–achievement relationships. School Science and Mathematics 112, 278–288.
| The gender confidence gap in fractions knowledge: gender differences in student belief–achievement relationships.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Salerno, P. E., Páez-Vacas, M., Guayasamin, J. M., and Stynoski, J. L. (2019). Male principle investigators (almost) don’t publish with women in ecology and zoology. PLoS One 14, e0218598.
| Male principle investigators (almost) don’t publish with women in ecology and zoology.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 31216351PubMed |
Sardelis, S., and Drew, J. A. (2016). Not ‘pulling up the ladder’: women who organize conference symposia provide greater opportunities for women to speak at conservation conferences. PLoS One 11, e0160015.
| Not ‘pulling up the ladder’: women who organize conference symposia provide greater opportunities for women to speak at conservation conferences.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 27467580PubMed |
Tallis, H., and Lubchenco, J. (2014). Working together: a call for inclusive conservation. Nature 515, 27–28.
| Working together: a call for inclusive conservation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 25373659PubMed |
Thornbush, M. (2016). Introduction to the special issue on gender and geoethics in the geosciences. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 13, 398–405.
| Introduction to the special issue on gender and geoethics in the geosciences.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 27043609PubMed |
Vongalis-Macrow, A. (2016). It’s about the leadership: the importance of women leaders doing leadership for women. NASPA Journal About Women in Higher Education 9, 90–103.
| It’s about the leadership: the importance of women leaders doing leadership for women.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Weisgram, W. S., and Diekman, A. (2014). Family-friendly STEM: perspectives on recruiting and retaining women in STEM fields. International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology 8, 39–45.
Williams, W. M. (2018). Underrepresentation of women in science: international and cross-disciplinary evidence and debate. Frontiers in Psychology 8, 2352.
| Underrepresentation of women in science: international and cross-disciplinary evidence and debate.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 29403410PubMed |
