Have you heard that female scientists exist but can’t actually name one? Ever wonder what they might be up to? You’ve come to the right place! ScienceGrrl Glasgow is serving up interviews with real-life female scientists – and they’re really interesting.
Featuring as our first ever ScienceGrrl of the Moment is Associate Professor Margaret Stanley from the School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland.
Associate Professor Margaret Stanley
School of Biological Sciences
University of Auckland
I’m a terrestrial ecologist working on a diverse range of topics and taxa. Much of my research is applied and aims to understand and mitigate the impacts of people on biodiversity.
I have three main research strands: invasion ecology, urban ecology and plant-animal interactions (seed dispersal, herbivory and pollination).
What made you get in to science?
During my school years, I don’t remember hearing of any female scientists as I was growing up – perhaps only Marie Curie (and I suspect that was more to do with people’s interest in ‘death by radiation’ rather than her scientific achievement). I didn’t realise that being a scientist would ever be an option for me. I certainly hadn’t met one (male OR female) and they would never have come from my hometown – or so I thought. I knew that I loved nature (thanks Mum!) and had an intense curiosity about animals in particular, but I thought that being a veterinarian was the only option for a career until my final year of high school when we got a new biology teacher.
Sue Michelsen-Heath (now teaching fellow at Otago University) had done an MSc on the ecology of the nationally endangered rock wren and she single-handedly opened the world of science to me. My first ever ecology research project investigated how leaf shape changed with rainfall, and at 17 I waited gleefully for the school mail as Leptospermum leaves arrived from all over New Zealand for me to measure. Most importantly, my inspirational biology teacher created opportunities for us to meet University scientists and engage in research projects.
How did you end up in your specific branch of science?
I studied Zoology as an undergraduate, with the odd bit of botany thrown in. My fourth year dissertation investigated dispersal and homing behaviour of an endangered lizard that lives on rock tors in Central Otago – picture ‘Lord of the Rings’ film locations.
I then wanted to leave New Zealand for a different experience and so did my PhD at Monash University in Melbourne on birds and their influence on the evolution of fruit characteristics and seed dispersal. After that – due to being homesick for all things Kiwi – I returned to Aotearoa-New Zealand and did a postdoc at Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, a government research agency. There I started my journey in applied ecology studying invasive species (weeds and ants), their impact on native ecosystems and different management options.
When the funding ran out, I existed on a series of short-term contracts until a permanent role came up. One of these contracts was to develop a new third year ecology course for the University of Auckland. I found I really enjoyed teaching and six years later when an opportunity arose for a lecturer in biosecurity and conservation, I jumped at it! Since then I’ve had the freedom to research whatever question takes my fancy, and I make sure much of my research has positive outcomes for increasing biodiversity. We have lost so much biodiversity in New Zealand that we need all science hands on deck to try and recover some of our special fauna and flora and ecosystems. We also need buy-in from everyday New Zealanders in cities, hence my relatively new focus on urban ecology.
Do you have a science heroine (and/or hero)?
I definitely admire some of our pioneering women scientists, the likes of botanists Lucy Cranwell and Lucy Moore, who were some of the first women to undertake extensive fieldwork in New Zealand. Photos of them trudging through tough New Zealand landscapes is pretty inspiring!
Want to learn more about the two fearless Lucys? Check out the below resources!
Lucy Cranwell – Auckland Museum
I also have a deep admiration for an elegant field experiment, particularly now when we rely on modelling so much, so Daniel Janzen would have to be an ecologist I admire for this reason.
Do you have a favourite science fact?
Kiwi are the only bird in the world to have nostrils at the end of their (very long) bills! They eat invertebrates in the soil, so their bill makes an excellent probe for finding food.
What is the best part of being a scientist?
The best part of being a scientist is working with other people – throwing ideas around and seeing the energy build among people as the research ideas are pulled together. I really enjoy working with and mentoring early career scientists; it’s wonderful to see how much they grow in confidence and ability if they’re nurtured. I also enjoy communicating science – there’s no point doing science if you’re not communicating it.
On a bad day, what inspires you to keep going?
I just keep looking out the window and imagining what our cities could be – green hotspots filled with spectacular birds like tieke/saddleback and hihi/stitchbirds, with people tripping over tuatara and giant weta on their way to work and school! In our small way, our science contributes to improving the environment for our children. In an era where our environment is continually being degraded it is often difficult to keep positive, so we have to hold onto the small wins and the long-term vision.
What would you like people to know about:
- working in science?
The most important thing for scientists to have is curiosity. If you have that, you can learn all the other skills. Science can be tough, problem-solving is at the heart of it, so you need resilience to overcome those days where nothing goes to plan. But the rewards are huge – being a part of generating new knowledge is a privilege.
- your research?
Urban ecology is where it’s all happening! City folk are losing their connection with natural ecosystems and this can result in less concern for biodiversity. Our research looks at nature in the city – what things are having a negative impact on urban wildlife and vegetation? How can we bring wildlife back to the city so that people see and connect to native biodiversity in their gardens? Our research group has shown that when people feed birds in their garden it can benefit invasive birds and drive out small insectivorous birds, such as the riroriro/grey warbler. We are also researching the benefit of small patches of forest in the city for birds and seed dispersal, and the impact of light pollution on bird song.
What does a scientist do in their spare time?
I end up doing quite a bit of work outside of normal working hours – it’s quite hard to separate work from the rest of your life, particularly the fun bits like natural history, science communication and working with community groups. I really like to spend as much time with my family as possible – whether it’s baking, playing board games or enjoying the outdoors. One of the trickiest things about being a mum and an ecologist is the amount of time you are expected to be away from home – whether it be fieldwork, teaching field courses, maintaining international collaborations or attending conferences. So I like to spend quality time with my kids – we particularly love camping and exploring New Zealand’s wild areas.
Finally – have there been any moments in your career so far that really stand out and make daily life as a scientist extraordinary?
One of the benefits of being an ecologist is that you get to go to great places and see strange and wonderful things. Some of the standout places for me are Macraes Flat in New Zealand, the Southwestern Research Station in the Chiricahua Mountains of southern Arizona in the States, The Pantanal of Brazil and the Little Desert in Victoria, Australia. I guess I like open landscapes rather than forests!
I remember the first time I saw a flock of budgies in the wild in Australia, my excitement – and the horror of my American colleagues – of seeing and chasing a skunk for a photo and my sense of awe at seeing a toucan, giant otter or anteater in the wild. I would never have believed as a child I would see and watch these animals in these spectacular places – made more special by the people who were willing to share their knowledge with me.
Can’t get enough of Margaret? Learn more about her and her research here!
YouTube video “Feeding New Zealand’s Birds”
Research Blog – Auckland Ecology