Protest in Flint Michigan over the water supply which was contaminated with lead. Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha and Lee Anne Walters were whistle blowers for the Flint Water Crisis.
As an engineer, I have the privilege of participating in many different research projects. I have worked in projects with wastewater treatment, bioenergy, global warming, bioproduct development, microbiomes, breastfeeding practices, and AI.
My strong data science skills, as well as a well-rounded education in Biology allows me to move between different research topics quite easily. Which I love because I love learning new things!
Given my feminist background, there are so many ways feminism can also be used to critique these scientific applications and communication. However, given how STEM academic spaces tend to shy away from feminist discussion or any sort of social critiques, there is not much space in the academic circles I move in to actually discuss these things. And women who speak out of these things can face an increased risk of violence or detrimental effects on their career.
Hence, academics I know are completely flabbergasted by the current funding cuts on scientific research and attacks on academic freedom in the U.S. However, this “war on science” has been ongoing for literally decades and only just accelerated in the last year.
I regularly visit wastewater treatment plants, farms, and factory environments and interact with industry professionals, farmers, as well as academic researchers. So, I have a lot of tips and insights that I will share in this section. I was inspired to start this section after feeling frustrated on how much bad information there is out there, and how few good educational sources there are for those seeking scientific information.
My main PSAs here:
Infant Feeding
-DO NOT LISTEN TO EMILY OSTER. She is neither a data scientist nor an epidemiologist. Her methods of analyzing data rely on cherry-picking and poor methodology. She is funded by right-wing interests and big tech (Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel).
-Breastfeeding and formula feeding are both valid choices to feed your infant, both have pros and cons that will depend on your circumstances and infants’ needs. Shaming women over breastfeeding v. formula feeding is anti-feminist and ignores the lack of social support mothers in the US receive.
-Infant infections from Cronobacter sakazakii can occur from both formula and breastmilk. The good news is that proper hygiene and preparation can virtually eliminate any Cronobacter risk. Scientific studies on breastfeeding and formula feeding are criminally under-funded and under-studied which results in misinformation and propaganda around infant feeding choices.
-The “Fridge Hack” (putting breast pump parts in the fridge between uses) is not hygienic. Pump parts come in contact with your hands, clothing, chest, pumping bag, and dirty surfaces that can contaminate your parts. These bacteria will continue to grow between pump sessions even in the fridge. And that sealed bag to keep the parts in is a great harborage point for bacteria and fungi. For dangerous bacteria like Cronobacter sakazakii, all it takes is a few bacterial cells to infect your infant.
-Check out my note on Hygienic Practices for Formula Feeding. I’ll make a separate post on this in the future.
The Environment
The Cuyahoga River caught on fire multiple times before environmental protections were put in place.
-Global warming is real. Big Oil has been hiding and patenting renewable energy technology for decades and discrediting global warming data. Also, a handful of corporations emit the majority of Greenhouse Gas Emissions.
-Only a fraction of plastics are actually recycled.
-Do not flush feminine hygiene products down the toilet in the United States. Wastewater treatment operators derogatively call tampons “beach whistles” and have to rake them out separately in wastewater treatment plants.
-Ecofeminism combines feminism and environmentalism to expose and critique patriarchal and capitalist systems.
Vaccinations
-COVID-19 is an on-going pandemic and is not “gone”. COVID-19 can result in serious long-term health complications. Vaccination, testing, masking, ventilation work to prevent COVID-19 spread at conferences. Oh yes, and Emily Oster contributed to misinformation regarding COVID-19 risk in children.
-The HPV vaccine does not encourage sexual promiscuity. This is a blatantly ignorant “fear” that began as soon as the vaccine was released, and I sadly witnessed firsthand. Many of the girls I knew in high school had parents who refused to get them vaccinated against HPV. My only side-effect was a slightly sore arm for a few hours. Get your teen boys and girls vaccinated against HPV.
-Get your children vaccinated. I knew a 98-year-old man who wept recalling his baby sister’s death from diphtheria. Grief lasts a lifetime.
AI
-ChatGTP trains on copyrighted data and may steal any data you input in it. Do not use it to write grants or analyze your data (ESPECIALLY for sensitive datasets). If you need assistance writing, reach out to your college’s writing center, a colleague, a friend, or read a book/website about writing. If you need AI to analyze your data, you should consider machine learning packages in R or Python or other software and build/check the code yourself to ensure privacy.
-Social media has algorithms that reward and propagate false information. It is a poor platform for educating the public on science since that type of information is not rewarded and many health care providers/officials do not engage enough.
Conclusion
Science communication is not prioritized by academia so a lot of bad info/propaganda gets out there.
Places to check out to learn how to interpret or communicate science:
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