Girls can do anything: especially science

Press, 27 January 1986, Page 16

Girls can do anything: especially science

Making it

Beatrice Tinsley, the Canterbury University graduate who.went on to win world acclaim as an astrophysicist, was little known in New Zealand. Beatrice’s brilliant career was cut short by cancer in 1981, while she was a professor at Yale University in the United States. She was just 40.

As a tribute to this remarkable scientist, and to attract more women to the sciences, the American Astronomical Society has named a medal and prize after Beatrice Tinsley — the first such honour earned by a woman scientist.

Beatrice Tinsley’s story is an inspiration to any women thinking of a career in the sciences. From the age of 14, at a time when women were being shunted wholesale into lifetime service as wives and mothers, she wanted to become an astrophysicist. Both at New. Plymouth Girls’ High and later at Canterbury University where she gained an M.Sc. with first class honours, she was a brilliant student. Yet when she went to live in Dallas, Texas, where her physicist husband was offered a post, she couldn’t find work. The faculty wouldn’t employ women. Despite this set-back she completed her Ph.D. by commuting 200 miles to another university, then

quickly rose to full professorship at Yale. A 100-page book on the life of Beatrice Tinsley, together with her outstanding writings and two moving obituaries, has been prepared by a Massey University lecturer, Scott Whineray, in conjunction with the New Zealand Institute of Physics. The booklet has been sent to secondary schools throughout the country — both to rectify the wide-

spread ignorance of this outstanding woman, and to inspire women thinking of a career in science. “Beatrice Tinsley’s life had more than its share of anger and frustration

... The boorish circumstances surrounding the difficulty of obtaining a proper appointment — and recognition — at Dallas carry a message for all,” writes Scott Whineray in his preface. Called simply “Beatrice (Hill) Tinsley — Astronomer,” the blue-covered book carries a photograph of the scientist in her graduation cap and gown. Dr Bill Robinson, president of the New Zealand Institute of Physics, is concerned at the small numbers of women taking up careers in science.

As director of the physics and engineering laboratory for the D.S.I.R. in Wellington, he is “very disheartened” that this year’s intake of 19 trainee technicians are all male.

“A training officer visited all the secondary schools in the area, concentrating on girls’ schools, but most of the girls who applied hadn’t had the necessary contact with mechanical things. “The boys had been making model aeroplanes for years, or tinkering with engines,” he says. “Picking up the basic mechanical skills seems to be a particular problem with girls. Somewhere along the line they have to get their hands dirty.” His department has only one woman, who came in under the programme to encourage Maori and Polynesian people into better jobs. This year he plans to approach the schools earlier — in the hope of a female intake next year.

Avon Loop

carnival

Elizabeth the sea elephant was the unexpected guest of honour at the Avon Loop’s first community carnival six years ago. Someone had made a stuffed sea-lion for the occasion — but as if in scorn of the effigy, the creature herself swam along the river, saw the carnival in progress and hauled herself up. on to the bank.

“We’re quite disappointed that she can’t be there this time,” says Elsie Locke, a children's writer, and one of the organisers of the annual carnival. But even without Elizabeth, the carnival, to be held from 11 a.m. untij 4 p.m. this Saturday, February 1, promises to be a

day of fun, colour, and music for adults and children alike. As well as stalls and sideshows, face painting and a children’s programme organised by the Summer Times team, there will be an inner tube race down the river, a fancy dress competition and painting and build-a-boat contests (all materials supplied). Anyone wim a canoe is asked to bring it along —- decorated if possible —

and it is hoped to organise rides for those not so lucky as to own their own craft.

A variety of food and drink will be on sale — a sausage sizzle, pancake stand, sandwiches, fruit, coffee, tea and homemade cordial. Free entertainment will be provided throughout the day by a variety of groups, including Hayseed and the Squires, the Oxford Bluegrass Group, Alter Ego jazz dancers, the Chilean music ensemble Pachamama, Rosemary Hewstone and her Merrymakers, and the Kalani Dancers.

church riverbank. Funds raised will go towards the Avon Loop Community Cottage, although she stresses the event will be as non-commercial as possible. Avon Loop carnivals are a popular feature of Christchurch life — and not only with folk living in the Loop. Elsie Locke partly attributes their success to the fact that they are held in the last days of the school holidays when both parents and children are running out of things to do. She also feels people are reluctant to take outings out of town these days — because of the high price of petrol. Oxford Terrace will be closed from Willow to Bangor

Elsie Locke says the annual carnival is a way of bringing people together, and to make better use of the Christ-