Category: Biography

Scottish Women in Science

08/02/2024 / julietkinsey / 0 Comments

Scottish Women in Science

Scotland has a rich history of scientific achievements and Scottish women have played a pivotal role in shaping these accomplishments. From groundbreaking discoveries to innovative research, these remarkable women have defied societal norms and overcome countless obstacles to leave an indelible mark on the field of science.

Historical Scottish Women Pioneers in Science

Even in times when opportunities for women were severely limited, Scottish women managed to push the boundaries and excel in various scientific disciplines. One such pioneer was Mary Somerville, who became a renowned mathematician and astronomer in the 19th century. Her work in celestial mechanics and her influential book “The Mechanism of the Heavens” significantly contributed to our understanding of the universe.

Another trailblazer was Elizabeth Blackwell, who became the first woman to graduate from medical school in the United States in 1849. Born in Aberdeen, Scotland, Blackwell faced immense challenges and discrimination in her pursuit of a medical career. Her determination and resilience not only opened doors for women in medicine but also paved the way for future generations of female physicians.

In the field of medicine, Dr. Elsie Inglis revolutionized healthcare by establishing the Scottish Women’s Hospitals during World War I. Her tireless efforts saved countless lives and challenged the prevailing gender norms of the time.

Modern Scottish Women Making Strides in the Scientific World

Professor Linda Bauld is a public health expert, Bauld has been instrumental in shaping Scotland’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Her research on public health behaviour and interventions has had a significant impact on policy both in Scotland and internationally.

In the realm of environmental science, Professor Sheila Rowan has made groundbreaking discoveries in gravitational wave detection. Her research has opened up new possibilities for studying the universe, earning her international acclaim and recognition.

The primatologist and neuroethologist Professor Dame Anne Glover is a world-leading expert on animal behaviour and cognition. She has served as Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government and has received many honours and awards.

Scientists of Edinburgh Napier University

Edinburgh Napier University is home to many talented women scientists who are making significant contributions in various fields.

Prof Yvonne Kuipers, Professor of Midwifery, has over 20 years of experience in women’s reproductive health. She has conducted research on a variety of topics, including home birth, traumatic childbirth experiences, and midwifery-led care.
Dr. Fiona Lees, Professor of Occupational Therapy, is an expert in disability studies. She has conducted research on a variety of topics, including wheelchair use, falls prevention, and social care.
Prof Emma Hart is a professor of computational intelligence here at Edinburgh Napier. She is known for her work in artificial immune systems (AIS), evolutionary computation and optimisation.
Dr. Clare Taylor is a Senior Lecturer in Medical Microbiology and is a passionate advocate of equality and inclusion

These are just a few examples of the many accomplished women scientists working at Edinburgh Napier University. Their research is making a real difference in the world, and they are inspiring the next generation of female scientists. In addition to these individual researchers, Edinburgh Napier University is committed to supporting women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) more broadly.

The university has several initiatives in place to encourage girls and young women to pursue careers in science. Such as the EQUATE Scotland program, which provides mentoring and support to women in the built environment, engineering, technology, and science sectors.

Celebrating the Achievements of Scottish Women in Science

Scottish women have played a vital role in shaping the scientific world. Defying societal expectations and making groundbreaking discoveries. From the pioneers of the past to the trailblazers of today, their contributions have paved the way for future generations of scientists. It is crucial to celebrate and recognize their achievements, while also working towards creating a more inclusive and equitable scientific community. By supporting and empowering Scottish women in science, we can ensure that their remarkable legacy continues to inspire and drive scientific progress for years to come.

Join us in celebrating the achievements of Scottish women in science by sharing their stories and advocating for gender equality in STEM fields. Together, we can break down barriers and create a more inclusive scientific community.

By Juliet Kinsey

Jane Austen Day

16/12/2023 / julietkinsey / 1 Comment

Jane Austen Day

Picture, if you will, a walnut tripod table by a window in a country house. It’s tiny, with twelve sides and a moulded edge. Imagine a small figure writing at this table in secret, on small scraps of paper, alive to the sounds of footsteps carrying visitors into the room. Notice as this person swiftly hides those scraps away from prying eyes. The image you now have in your mind is that of Jane Austen, perhaps the best-loved author in the English-speaking world. Imagine a world without those scraps and their transformation into the six sparkling novels that she completed. How impoverished that world would be.

Jane Austen: A life

Jane wrote in secret because she was a young, unmarried woman in the late 18^th century, and it was considered unseemly for ladies to indulge in anything as vulgar as writing fiction.

Luckily for us, she privately pursued her literary passions throughout her tragically short life, and the novels she bequeathed us – all published within a six-year time frame – have been in print ever since. The many television and cinematic adaptations of her work attest to the fact that literary audiences today are as hungry for her work as they were 200 years ago.

Jane Austen lived a quiet, unspectacular and financially constrained life in southern England. She rarely travelled and never married, and yet her keen and witty observations of societal norms and her brilliant insights into human relationships sing out from every page of her works. Her novels were instantly popular, but she was only identified as their author a few months after she died.

Today we celebrate Jane’s birthday, and she lives on through her characters who are as fresh and modern today as they were when she wrote them into existence: Elizabeth Bennett, the Dashwoods, Fanny Price, Emma Woodhouse, Catherine Morland, and Anne Elliot. Oh, and the dashing Mr Darcy (be still, my beating heart!)

Resources for Jane Austen Day

You’ll find all her novels on LibrarySearch. Why not binge-read them over the holidays.

In order of publication:

Sense and Sensibility (1811)

Pride and Prejudice (1813)

Mansfield Park (1814)

Emma (1815)

Persuasion (1817)

Northanger Abbey (1817)

For more information:

The Jane Austen Society UK

Or why not check out the film adaptations on Box of Broadcasts.

By Lesley McRobb

Read more on the blog by Lesley. Such as National Poetry Day

Sherlock Holmes's silhouette on baker street underground stop

Arthur Conan Doyle

22/05/2023 / mayagreen / 0 Comments

Arthur Conan Doyle

All the clues are there in the first few pages: the narcotics, the torpor, the scratching on the violin, the trusty but plodding assistant. It’s not long before we’re given a treatise on “the science of deduction and analysis” and the use of the word “elementary”. This is our first introduction to the world’s most famous consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes, who made his debut in the long story, A Study in Scarlet, published in 1887.

Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes caught the reading public’s attention with his cold, calculating logic, and he went on to solve many seemingly insoluble cases, always accompanied by his loyal companion, Dr Watson.

So popular is Sherlock Holmes that he has been reincarnated in film many times over, most notably by Basil Rathbone, and more recently by Robert Downey Jnr, and Benedict Cumberbatch.

Doyle’s Life

But he is, of course, a fictional creation, spun from the imagination of Edinburgh doctor, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. After graduating from Edinburgh university and studying in Vienna, Conan Doyle set up his own medical practice in the south of England. It didn’t do well, and to supplement his income he turned his hand to creative writing. His Holmes adventure stories were immediately successful and ensured that Conan Doyle kept writing them until they ran into several volumes.

To Conan Doyle’s lifelong chagrin, the success of the Sherlock Holmes stories overshadowed his other literary work. Who has heard of his 14^th century knight, Sir Nigel, or his Napoleonic war hero, Brigadier Gerard? History was Conan Doyle’s great passion, and he wrote many fictional and non-fiction accounts of great historical events, and published his own psychic research into spiritualism.

It’s Conan Doyle’s birthday today. A pub named after him still stands on the corner of Picardy Place, the street in which he was born. Why not pop in and raise a toast? Better still, log into LibrarySearch and discover his many stories, and the films, for yourself:

https://napier.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?vid=44NAP_INST:44NAP_ALMA_VU1

Photo source Sandip Roy

By Lesley McRobb

Have a love for reading about authors, you can read about Charles Dickens

Celebrating Edward de Bono

19/05/2023 / julietkinsey / 1 Comment

Celebrating Edward de Bono

To celebrate Edward de Bono’s birthday on the 19^th May here is a short post about his life.

Who is Edward de Bono?

Edward de Bono was a Maltese/British businessman, born on this day in 1933. He made it his mission to teach his thinking methods to governments and businesses around the world. He wrote 84 books that have been translated into 46 languages, but he’s perhaps best known for his “six thinking hats”. These six hats – or different aspects of thinking – are colour coded to denote control, creativity, feelings, positivity, caution and factual information.

De Bono believed that by learning how to use these different ways of thinking, we can all become more effective and work with greater collaboration and communication in our personal and professional lives. It was his passion to prove that creative and effective thinking can be taught and learned using structures and systematic techniques.

While his business methods became hugely influential, de Bono was not without his detractors. Some academic critics say his ideas weren’t tested and don’t stand up to scrutiny when they are.

Lateral Thinking

When Edward de Bono coined the term “lateral thinking” in 1967, he wasn’t inventing a new concept. Instead, it was just a different way of looking at an old one. De Bono took his inspiration from the behaviour of self-organizing information systems and insisted that the best thinking didn’t have to be linear, sequential or logical, but could also move sideways. The term lateral thinking became so popular that it soon entered the Oxford English Dictionary.

Why not make up your own mind? We have his full range of titles which you’ll find by logging into LibrarySearch.

Check out: Teach yourself to think, Simplicity or The happiness purpose to begin opening your mind.

To mark his birthday, I’m going to dip into one or two of his books. I’m new to this thinking lark, so I’m going to start off with the basics:

By Lesley McRobb

Read more on our blog by Lesley like International Haiku Poetry Day

Category: Biography

Scottish Women in Science

Scottish Women in Science

Historical Scottish Women Pioneers in Science

Modern Scottish Women Making Strides in the Scientific World

Scientists of Edinburgh Napier University

Celebrating the Achievements of Scottish Women in Science

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Jane Austen Day

Jane Austen Day