Marching for Science

Yesterday was the “coming out” event for the Boulder Pod of 500 Women Scientists, an organization promoting diversity and inclusivity in science, and the application of science to problems within the social sphere. I can confidently say that I am proud to be a part of this group of passionate women scientists who are ready to make a change.

500 Women Scientists Boulder Pod and allies at the March for Science in Denver, Earth Day, April 22, 2017.

We marched for science. We marched for women in science. We marched for ourselves, and for each other; we marched with our allies; we marched with the killer banner one of us made on her own time with her own crafty skills; we marched with signs made at our team’s sign-making parties hosted by one of our members; we marched with the capes ordered by another member. We marched and we chanted:

Show me what a scientist looks like.
This is what a scientist looks like!

We hosted a very busy booth where we ran out of pamphlets and stickers, had to keep adding pieces of paper to the sign-up sheet for more information, educated and entertained with trivia focused on women in STEM written by our members (I learned something new from every card), and handed out coloring books of women in STEM to girls and boys and parents and educators.

We were thanked for our work. We now have materials to post online once we have a place to post them, and a need to raise funds. This is what a grassroots effort looks like!