Women in Science

While talking to Michael Brand about "science" stuff, we somehow diverted to the topic of giving birth (I can't think how we got to the subject, vaguely recalling we were dicussing about flies and homosexuality just before). And I said that Dana thinks I should get married and have kids only AFTER my PhD, as for an obvious reason, it would take up a lot of my time, and I would be less flexible to work in the weekends etc. and in the long run, slow down productivity. He was rather surprised. He said after a PhD, it doesn't get easier, responsibilities just get bigger, and workload just increases. From post-doc, you aim for group leader, from group leader you aim for director of research institutes, and it goes on. And he said that Chistiane Nusslein-Volhard actually has donated a part of her Nobel Prize money towards a fund that supports "mothers" in research. And so I was taking a break and decided to do some googling, and found that there is an award to support young women in science. And was even more surprised that a Malaysian has won it in 2001. And when I clicked on the link....

I almost choked. There she was staring me in the face, one of the worst lecturers ever, Dr. Suraini Abdul Aziz. How did they even pick her?!? The I found out that the only was you can be considered for this award is if you are nominated by your country. I rest my case.