Scilence & Innervation
The history behind this podcast (started in 2018)...
SCILENCE: I started a podcast back in 2018, after an honest and vulnerable conversation with a wonderful female professor in evolutionary biology. I was there to film with her, on some of her incredible science. But, it was when the cameras were turned off, that we were able to be ourselves, i.e. regular everyday people, who have lives outside of their professions. It was this conversation that inspired me to start Scilence..
When we spoke off-camera, she described what it was actually like collecting the data for her research. She had been living in a tent in a remote cold environment by herself for a year, collecting data on a local species of penguins. She disclosed how liberated she felt, not having to keep up appearance or conform to societal norms. She hadn't looked in a mirror for one year and loved it. I felt the same liberation when I climbed up Mount Kilimanjaro over a period of 1 week - I related to the relief of not caring what people think.
Our conversation was about freedom, purpose and self-acceptance. It was powerful and inspiring and I wanted to share it with others.
I suggested to the professor that we repeat our conversation, but this time record it. She refused, saying they her truths could jeopardise her job. And that was when I realised that many women in STEM felt the same way - they felt they were unable to speak their truth, for fear of losing all they had worked for.
I had to do something about this. I had to provide a safe space for women to speak openly and honestly about what it was actually like being a woman in STEM. So I launched a weekly podcast called Scilence, on International Women in Engineering Day (June 23rd 2018), ensuring that the identities of all my guests were kept anonymous.
INNERVATION: After a couple of years of Scilence, women started to express their confidence in revealing their identity. Perhaps it was the effects of 'Me Too', the Pandemic and Black Lives Matter, that gave women permission to speak up for themselves. Scielnce then changed name and format to Innervation in 2020, where all the conversation were recorded in video and audio.
eSTEAMd Women - The podcast name has changed again AND is now available as a vodcast on my YouTube Channel, on the playlist called eSTEAMd Women. Otherwise listen to it in audio-only format, wherever you get your podcasts.
When we spoke off-camera, she described what it was actually like collecting the data for her research. She had been living in a tent in a remote cold environment by herself for a year, collecting data on a local species of penguins. She disclosed how liberated she felt, not having to keep up appearance or conform to societal norms. She hadn't looked in a mirror for one year and loved it. I felt the same liberation when I climbed up Mount Kilimanjaro over a period of 1 week - I related to the relief of not caring what people think.
Our conversation was about freedom, purpose and self-acceptance. It was powerful and inspiring and I wanted to share it with others.
I suggested to the professor that we repeat our conversation, but this time record it. She refused, saying they her truths could jeopardise her job. And that was when I realised that many women in STEM felt the same way - they felt they were unable to speak their truth, for fear of losing all they had worked for.
I had to do something about this. I had to provide a safe space for women to speak openly and honestly about what it was actually like being a woman in STEM. So I launched a weekly podcast called Scilence, on International Women in Engineering Day (June 23rd 2018), ensuring that the identities of all my guests were kept anonymous.
INNERVATION: After a couple of years of Scilence, women started to express their confidence in revealing their identity. Perhaps it was the effects of 'Me Too', the Pandemic and Black Lives Matter, that gave women permission to speak up for themselves. Scielnce then changed name and format to Innervation in 2020, where all the conversation were recorded in video and audio.
eSTEAMd Women - The podcast name has changed again AND is now available as a vodcast on my YouTube Channel, on the playlist called eSTEAMd Women. Otherwise listen to it in audio-only format, wherever you get your podcasts.
