In 2016, the United Nations (UN) established February 11 as the International Day of Girls and Women in Science. This initiative aims to celebrate the achievements of women in the scientific community and inspire new generations to embrace this career.

In the same vein, the Adventist South American News Agency (ASN) spoke with biologist Maura Eduarda about the challenges and relevance of the female presence in the scientific community. Maura holds a Ph.D. in Science from the University of São Paulo (USP) and serves as coordinator of Origins Museum of Nature in Puerto Ayora, Galapagos, Ecuador. Follow the interview:

What is your perception of the presence of women in the scientific world?

I am one of those who thrill to see a woman in a prominent position, and I feel that this has been growing in recent years. It may not yet be such a strong presence, but we have seen many important institutions for science being conducted and receiving input from women. It is delightful to see how they manage to position themselves and how well they represent the strength and intelligence of the genre. And this is important for identification because when a girl sees a woman appearing and standing out, she thinks, ‘I want to be like her.’ It is an incentive.

Are there still barriers to be broken in this environment?

My perception is that currently, in the scientific world, there are not so many barriers for women to contribute and reach prominent positions. Perhaps the difficulty [was more prominent]is a little earlier, due to social contexts such as having a family and children, taking care of the house, and thus not being able to dedicate so much to the academic career. And it's not easy, really! I was privileged to receive a scholarship for my doctorate, so I was able to allow myself not to have a job and dedicate myself only to studies, but the majority of the population cannot afford to say, “I will just study.” But women increasingly realize that [science]the gym is not an impossible path. It may be that for some, it is more difficult, as it is also difficult for some men, but there are opportunities. That is why identification is so important.

What do "equal opportunities" mean to you?

It means that when a company or institution is in need of [filling a position]a professional, it does not need to choose a woman for the simple fact of being a woman, but to consider women and men for the vacancy due to their qualifications and competence for the job. Both men and women are very competent and capable.

You spoke of inspiration. Name a woman in the scientific community that inspires you.

There are many incredible scientists. It is very cool to see on the Nobel Prize's Instagram the number of women who have been receiving this honor. But going back to a time when no woman had ever won a Nobel Prize, I think of Marie Curie, who simply won two Nobel Prizes in two different areas. No one has ever been able to repeat that feat. And she struggled to get where she was because she didn't have a lot of financial means and lived in a time when women were forbidden to attend universities. She worked to pay for her sister's studies, and when she graduated, she worked to pay for her studies. She worked during the day, studied at night, taught classes, and, overcoming all of that, became an incredibly relevant woman for 20th-century science and in general.

Tell us a little about your doctoral research.

I developed my research at the Department of Pathology, USP Medical School. My object of study was the influence of air pollution on pregnancy. It was a statistical work to find an association between the concentration of pollutants in the air and gestational outcomes, such as low birth weight, prematurity, and even stillborn babies.

What contributions can this research bring to society?

From the moment we understand that pollution affects health, we give ammunition to the government to establish parameters for the concentration of pollutants in the air and public policies around the subject. In some cities, for example, there are stations that measure air quality based on parameters established precisely from research such as this. And, considering that these studies show the risks and consequences of different levels of pollution, such as respiratory problems and in the cardiovascular system, they bring financial solutions to the government. After all, investments in public policies represent savings in medical treatments for the population.

For those interested in the subject, how is it possible to follow their complete research?

The thesis will be available at the USP Medical School library, which can be accessed online. We are also preparing articles to be published in scientific journals soon.

Talk about your work in the Galápagos.

As a coordinator, I manage the entire Origins Museum of Nature. Another important work [we] intended, but which we have not been able to develop much due to the pandemic, is the assistance to researchers. One of the aims of the museum is to be a support point for scientists with a creationist worldview who want to conduct research in the Galápagos because there is a very bureaucratic process to achieve this, and to have someone there who knows the region, the people, the authorities, and the procedures for obtaining an authorization are essential. Other plans for this year are to receive volunteers who want to work for a while in the museum and get to know the Galápagos, to partner with the Charles Darwin Foundation for extension projects, to receive visits from schools to get to know the creationist worldview [at the] Adventist University Center of São Paulo (UNASP). In short, our intention with the Origins Museum is to pay attention to people, publicize creationism, and promote scientific research.

This article was originally published on the South American Division’s Portuguese news site