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ScienceWe are four female scientists working on Africa’s Great Lakes. Ask us anything… (self.IAmA)

submitted by iisd_ela2

Traditionally, women tend to have been denied access to positions in many areas of scientific endeavour, including limnology (or freshwater science).

Sadly, this means their unique perspectives are missing from critical solutions to environmental problems.

But there is a bright side; just look at us!

We are four female scientists taking part in an exciting new program to encourage and champion women in freshwater science working on Africa’s Great Lakes—currently travelling and working in Canada to discover how researchers are doing things here, and to share experience and knowledge with other scientists across the pond.

We are happy to answer your burning questions on the role of women in science in Africa, tell you about our experiences and hopes for the future, and offer up any advice for any burgeoning female scientists anywhere in the world.

Go on and ask us anything. We dare you…

We are Catherine Fridolin, an M.Sc. candidate at the University of Dar es Salaam, focused on fisheries and aquaculture; Gladys Chigamba, a research scientist at Lilongwe University working on an economic valuation of river ecosystems in Malawi; Elizabeth Wanderi, working on fisheries on Lake Turkana at Kenya Fisheries Services; and Margret Sinda, with a focus on Aquaculture in Malawi.

My Proof: https://twitter.com/AGL_ACARE/status/1577674217155620865

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[–]TheFiredrake42 40 points41 points  (1 child)

What's your favorite African cichlid?

[–]gosnach 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I sure got tired of my son's Convict Cichlid's breeding like rabbits in his tank! It was interesting watching them parent however. The adults would have them scurrying back to the nest if someone walked into the room & go & scoop them up in their mouths if the little ones were too slow. We lived in the Interlake region of Manitoba, Canada. The water was very, very hard. It was fantastic drinking water but cichlids were a fish that could cope. Other species didn't do so well without a lot of work with changing pH, etc. The Angel Wings were beautiful but unless raised together certainly wouldn't play well together.

[–]Not-Unfunny 108 points109 points  (24 children)

What is an example from your work when you felt that a woman's perspective (or an African perspective) was missing from the conversation (at an event, in an article, in the field...)?

[–]iisd_ela[S] 25 points26 points  (22 children)

Catherine When I first decided to go into the field of fisheries, I got some really surprised responses from my peers and family. There is not much of a legacy of women working in the fisheries field in Tanzania and so I felt as though I really had to forge my own path and prove that there was a space for women in the field.

Elizabeth I find often in conferences and workshops, there is not a space for me to participate or speak. I notice everything from being discouraged to speak to discouraging facial expressions from male colleagues that create an environment where I don't feel like I can contribute on the same level as my male colleagues.

Gladys These impediments also spill over into practical concerns in the field. There are often many expeditions where women are precluded from certain necessary activities, like touching nets or going on boats. Also, sometimes the expeditions are at night, where it is more difficult to attend.

[–]DeTrotseTuinkabouter 128 points129 points  (16 children)

I feel like you guys misunderstood the question. They didn't ask how you experienced being (one of) the only women or how that wasn't accounted for or supported.

They asked what kind of women's perspectives you brought to the actual (scientific) conversation, as stated in your original post.

[–]MattsAwesomeStuff 5 points6 points  (2 children)

They asked what kind of women's perspectives you brought to the actual (scientific) conversation

That's what I was curious to know.

I immediately scoffed at the the AMA's title, I've never once cared about the gender of a scientist, and was immediately skeptical of any scientists who led with their gender.

To me, the correction to sexism in research is "let's make gender matter even less" not "let's make sure we make a bigger deal out of gender in the opposite way!" Fuck right off with this whole "unique female perspective" thing.

... but...

I thought "If someone asks that question, I'm interested in the answer, maybe I'm wrong about this, and to hear an answer from scientists on the topic would be something I'd actually value."

... and the response of all 3 of them indicates to me that there is no unique female perspective that's contributed in a way that I care about science-wise. It's just "We don't get treated fairly! It's good for people to see female scientists!" political bullshit that, I know is true but is not what I fucking care about.

It's just bullshit right through to the bottom.

Their response leads me the other way on the topic, it makes me think gender representation is even more bullshit (other than equality of opportunity, something I strongly support).

[–]Amazing-Bit6140 -2 points-1 points  (1 child)

I'm with you.

I'm ecstatic to have more people, and certainly more women, interested and involved in science of all forms.

But there's this strange, pervasive narrative that being "diverse" adds something to the science that a straight white man couldn't add, and there's no real proof of that in the majority of cases of this that I've seen.

I was really hoping for an example of something they identified or researched that had been overlooked and how their sex/ethnicity contributed to them making this discovery... but there isn't any of that going on that i can see.

Like the women who found seat belt studies weren't making women as safe as men while driving, due to the physics of the test dummies. THAT kind of unique perspective is incredibly valuable. When i hear "we add unique perspectives", it's perspectives like this that i'm expecting to see.

Instead it's just "welp, we're women in science, tada!"

[–]MattsAwesomeStuff -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I'm ecstatic to have more people, and certainly more women, interested and involved in science of all forms.

I myself don't care if more or less women are involved in science.

I only care that if a woman wants to be, there aren't artificial obstacles in their place. Especially based on anything sexist or chauvinistic. Maybe even based on anything chivalristic.

Let people do what they want to do, and viciously tear down any institutions that prevent people from being considered equal.

... but two wrongs don't make a right.

The point of gender equality is that gender doesn't matter, men should stop acting like superior assholes. Not... "Men are superior, and women are also superior in different ways, so we need both of them being superior all the time" ... no. Stop. You're just making everyone feel like enemies.

Like the women who found seat belt studies weren't making women as safe as men while driving, due to the physics of the test dummies.

Naw, to me, even that isn't "needed a woman's perspective", that was "stupid engineer didn't consider not everyone in a vehicle is a man." One doesn't need a female perspective to consider that, one just needs to not be an ignorant loser.

We don't need a "children's perspective" to design car seats, an adult is perfectly capable of thinking "Gee, children will be sitting here, not adults, guess we should design it for children."

I was really hoping for an example of something they identified or researched that had been overlooked and how their sex/ethnicity contributed to them making this discovery... but there isn't any of that going on that i can see.

Indeed. I was keeping an open mind that, rather than the usual crowd of idiots blathering about gender, that, a team of scientists would be like yes, here's 4 examples that illustrate why you're wrong about removing gender as a consideration is best, and why specifically wanting more women is the best thing.

... but, it's not there.

[–]TheObviousDilemma 2 points3 points  (3 children)

Women scientists aren’t allowed to touch nets or go on boats? Are you just talking about fisheries in Africa or is it a worldwide phenomenon?

Also, why is it more difficult to attend expeditions at night? Presumably these are expeditions studying things at night, or are we talking an event or function?

[–]ana_conda 3 points4 points  (2 children)

I’m not OP but I’m a scientist/engineer in the US and have absolutely had similar experiences. I’ve had male coworkers refuse to let me use tools/carry something heavy/do manual labor when those things were PART OF MY JOB. Women are absolutely prevented from doing their job in the name of “chivalry” or some BS and I fully believe it’s happening across the world too. This happened within the past 5 years btw, not the 1960s.

[–]TheObviousDilemma 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Like, you literally weren’t allowed on scientific expeditions if it involved being on a boat?

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    [–]JeffMc 2 points3 points  (0 children)

    How can those of us both inside and outside of the scientific world help overcome these things?

    [–]muliejida 31 points32 points  (2 children)

    What do you see as the greatest challenge for conserving/restoring the ecosystems in which you work? Or if you can't pick one, what are the top 3?

    [–]iisd_ela[S] 42 points43 points  (1 child)

    Elizabeth For me there are a couple. Food insecurity is massive, because it can really affect people's behaviour. When people don't have good fishing gear, they are forced to catch small fish near the shoreline, which adversely affect fish populations.

    Another massive problem is lack of information. Poor science communication, often only available in English, means that vast swathes of the population do not have a good understanding of their local environment, leading to poor choices.

    Catherine Another problem is lack of funding for research. We can't improve anything if we do not have access to funds to further our knowledge of lake systems and ecosystems.

    [–]muliejida 13 points14 points  (0 children)

    Thanks for the response! The comment about science communication is really interesting. It's so hard when you have limited resources to get the message out when there are so many other needs and priorities. We have that issue here too. Is there an increasing distrust of science among the general public in any of your countries like there is in the US?

    [–]Tenpat 103 points104 points  (5 children)

    Sadly, this means their unique perspectives are missing from critical solutions to environmental problems.

    What unique perspective are women bringing to freshwater science?

    [–]AltharaD 22 points23 points  (1 child)

    There’s some exciting news coming from Africa surrounding habitat reclamation and conservation efforts - at least as an outsider looking in. How do you feel it’s going? What are some things that giving you hope and what are your concerns?

    [–]iisd_ela[S] 23 points24 points  (0 children)

    Once we see better restored aquatic ecosystems, we are hoping to see healthier fish populations on which so many people around the African Great Lakes depend for sustencence and livelihood.

    When it comes to rehabilitation efforts, we need to be careful when reintroducing species, as the introduction of proliferation of one species can have an effect on the whole food web and ecosystem - often resulting in effects we did not expect!

    [–]Omnicrola 14 points15 points  (3 children)

    What is the worst science and/or fish pun you know?

    [–]iisd_ela[S] 52 points53 points  (0 children)

    Hmmm, your question is so so-fish-ticated, perch-ance I'll answer your other question...

    [–]LlamaLimaDingDong 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    You can't think of one? You don't have to be a fish sturgeon to come up with one. Create your own, don't leave it to salmon else.

    Let's see if the women do betta.

    [–]gatlingungreggy 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    I fish you didn’t just post here for the halibut

    [–]jh937hfiu3hrhv9 65 points66 points  (41 children)

    How does your gender give you unique scientific perspective and how do they differ from men?

    [–]jtim11 16 points17 points  (7 children)

    What is the most surprising thing you've encountered or learned in your travels for this program?

    [–]iisd_ela[S] 26 points27 points  (6 children)

    We visited IISD Experimental Lakes Area and had such a great time.

    One of the highlights was a water ceremony conducted by a First Nations Elder at the site to protect the lake and prepare it for some upcoming research. We were really excited to take part and learn more.

    There is actually an island in Lake Malawi/Niassa/Nyasa called Mbenji Island where ceremonies are conducted to protect bodies of water--women aren't allowed on the island so we have never seen it and can't tell you more!

    [–]jtim11 6 points7 points  (1 child)

    That is interesting! I believe that in many North American Indigenous communities the protection of water is considered the women's realm.

    [–]GilneanWarrior 7 points8 points  (0 children)

    This is correct- in the Ojibwe belief system, women are the water protectors and men are the keepers of fire.

    [–]2real2fake 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Lol some one just told me about mbenji island today..I thought it wasn't true

    [–]JeffMc 8 points9 points  (1 child)

    Are you seeing a lot of differences between how science is done in Canada vs back home?

    [–]iisd_ela[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

    We find that generally scientists tend to have more access to specific equipment and funding here than back home. Governments have a larger role in funding national scientific research, and we have definitely noticed more women in the field here.

    When it comes to students or early-career scientists, we find that they have more access to funding and opportunities in the field which are usually reserved for more established scientists back home. They also have the opportunity to greater mentorship, and a variety of tasks to nuture their careers.

    Canada also has so many lakes to work on--just look at IISD Experimental Lakes Area; we would never have those places to work on back home as we have fewer lakes and larger populations.

    The isolation and the working alone looks difficult though.

    Also, more broadly, Canadians eat far too much bread and sugar!

    [–]kortekickass 8 points9 points  (2 children)

    What is your favorite fresh water fish?

    [–]iisd_ela[S] 21 points22 points  (1 child)

    Elizabeth For me, it would have to be Oreochromis niloticus Nile Tilapia!

    Catherine Even though I don't work on them back home, I would go for lake sturgeon.

    Gladys Haplochromis spp. the cichlid species that are very colorful in the aquarium trade.

    Margret Oreochromis Karongae.

    [–]gosnach 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Catherine will love the ELA in northern ON then! I hope she encounters some.

    [–]under_armpit 18 points19 points  (21 children)

    Who is denying access to females?

    [–]iisd_ela[S] 47 points48 points  (1 child)

    For us, it is cultural.

    We often encounter outdated attitudes that women can't partake in science, and we try to forge our own paths and show our potential.

    Also, many people suffer from lack of exposure to seeing women in the field--coupled with lack of opportunities for women.

    And it's not just men! Women can be down on ourselves, and we don't realise our worth. Sometimes we can be guilty of not supporting each other!

    [–]under_armpit 6 points7 points  (0 children)

    That's awful. I'm glad you all were able to overcome and make a difference. Hopefully pave the way for more women.

    [–]topdweeb -2 points-1 points  (18 children)

    You know that’s how it is in the U.S. too. Not sure how it compares to Africa. But in the U.S. women are more encouraged to get into a support position: they’re encouraged to be a nurse, not the doctor, the hygienist not the dentist, the lib art major not a stem major, etc.

    It’s not denying them but more that they’re brought up to aim for lower goals.

    [–]blox11 3 points4 points  (3 children)

    and yet the countries with the least gender differences women always pick the same jobs like healthcare and working with people. Lmao

    [–]AcreaRising4 0 points1 point  (1 child)

    Have you ever considered the societal reasons behind that?

    [–]NarcissisticCat 3 points4 points  (0 children)

    So what are you suggesting then?

    When legal and social factors are minimized to the extent possible(like in Scandinavia) women still choose more traditionally feminine roles and men more masculine ones, what do you think that's evidence of?

    Occam's razor and all that suggests maybe, just maybe there's a difference in the distribution of such cognitive traits?

    [–]gosnach 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    That is changing quite rapidly, at least in Canada.

    [–]Amida0616 -1 points0 points  (13 children)

    Is this a time capsule from the 1940s? I havent heard anyone anywhere in the last 20 years say women should "aim for lower goals"

    [–]topdweeb -2 points-1 points  (12 children)

    Obviously no one is going to just out right say, “you’re a girl so you should set your sights low”. And I’ve never said they are that blatant about it.

    What I said is that girls are often encouraged to be nurses, for example, if they are interested in the medical field. However, if a guy is interested he’s often encouraged to be a doctor.

    All you have to do is a quick google search to see STEM fields, doctors, lawyers, etc are male dominated fields. Not only do males make the majority they often get paid more than their female counterparts. And this is so even though girls are every bit as capable (and in certain cases more capable) as men are.

    To act like this was only a problem in the 1940s and not recent times is seriously ridiculous.

    [–]boobumbaclad 2 points3 points  (4 children)

    There has been many studies disproving the gender pay gap I'm suprised people still talk about such nonsense. Also the majority women gravitate towards such jobs that fulfill the criteria of care aids such as nursing or medical assistants as woman are more nurturing then men.

    [–]AcreaRising4 3 points4 points  (1 child)

    Please link me one cause it seems pretty open to argument. In fact, every source I’ve seen far (in my brief Google search, ranging from the White House to a scholarly journal to a literal Reddit post) says it is real.

    [–]boobumbaclad 2 points3 points  (0 children)

    The white house is politically motivated to keep people misinformed. Why else would they use language that makes it seem like there's a huge disadvantage for women in the work force '' woman make 77 cents for every man's doller! '' Come on.. Taken at face value this sounds legit and is great way to pull support for your cause, hey they even made it a national day of recognition. I will start by saying there is outliers in society that will probably choose a preferred gender when it comes to advancement in the workplace. Could be a male CEO getting the promotion beacuse the chairman doesn't think a female is capable of said position. Or it could be a female getting a better paying position in a construction company beacuse men are dogs and will use promotion as a way of showing affection. (source i work construction & see it everyyear) Women in my country prefer to work less hours & work jobs that cater to the nurturing abilities, when my boyfriend went to nursing school he was the only male in the class of 30, I've talked to my female friends who work as caretakers and they find their jobs incredibly fullfilling hearing them talk about it is truly awe inspiring. My mother & father, both doctors in their own fields my mother was actually more successful in her field then my father not beacuse of any outlier reasons, solely based on her profession on average made more income then my father, so when it came time to raise me & my siblings my father is the one who stayed at home taking care of us & even ended up changing careers, still making less then my mother. I did the google search too and not suprised I couldnt find the study highlighting the real cause for a gender pay gap I read few years back. Really though it's such a crime for the media to shove down our throats the 77 cents to a mans dollar claim without highlighting the social/cultural roles of a woman, I work 12 hours a day 6 days a week of course I make more then the average women, my industry is dominated by men beacuse its physically/mentally demanding. This doesn't mean i dont work with women, infact I've had many on our crews throughout the year and they all made the same amount of cash as me🤔

    Heres a small article I found written by a woman

    https://www.forbes.com/sites/karinagness/2016/04/12/dont-buy-into-the-gender-pay-gap-myth/?sh=633362732596

    Also this guy does a good job of putting the idea to rest, pay attention when he talks about the nordic countries female workforce https://youtu.be/Xg2psply4no

    [–]mishaxz 0 points1 point  (1 child)

    Yeah I talked to some male nurses in university (obviously they were far outnumbered) by the female ones and I was really curious why they'd want to have such a job... It really came across as they really wanted to care for people. Some people are just predisposed to different things.

    [–]boobumbaclad 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    One friend who works in the old folks home loves it, she tells me she even cuddles with the old folks beacuse they are so lonely, thats next level care, never catch me cleaning bums and cuddling grandmas

    [–]h_e__n___t___a___i 2 points3 points  (0 children)

    "encourage" a gender to do something and barring them from opportunities are different things... I imagine in Africa they can't get into the field they want, while in the west it's just "encouraged" that a woman be a nurse when she can make her own choice, unlike in Africa.

    [–]TittieBop -1 points0 points  (1 child)

    encouraged by whom? we need to find these people and kick them in the balls.. or maybe women just aren't interested in the same fields? As an engineer, i promise you us guys would have welcomed with open arm any female that came through because it was so rare to see one. I want to know who are all these "people discouraging women to go STEM" because it sure as hell aint men in STEM

    [–]turdmachine 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    I’m a guy and the guys in STEM make me not want to go into STEM. I can just interact with them all on Reddit and it’s enough

    load more comments (4 replies)

      [–]muffin_utensil 8 points9 points  (1 child)

      What advice do you have for a young person who wants to become a scientist?

      [–]iisd_ela[S] 15 points16 points  (0 children)

      First up, you have to remember, working in science is a labour of love. That means you have to dedicate yourself to hard work and going through years of intense of education.

      When it comes to working in the field, that passion really becomes necessary. Field work can require many hours and can be tough.

      Also, people often forget that you need good people skills. You will always be working with different people, and rarely in isolation.

      And finally, don't go into it just because you have a family legacy or because you feel pushed into it.

      [–]2real2fake 1 point2 points  (0 children)

      How can a fisherman in lake malawi transition into aquaculture or is my livelihood doomed? What resources does one need to transition to aquaculture as a fisherman in lake malawi? Is the decline in catches in lake malawi due to bad fishing practices, over fishing or climate change?

      [–]bright_shiny_objects 4 points5 points  (1 child)

      Do those lakes compare to the Great Lakes in the USA or are they wildly different?

      [–]iisd_ela[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

      See our answer to /u/kortekickass' question.

      [–]Plane_Chance863 5 points6 points  (2 children)

      Do you have a blog?

      [–]iisd_ela[S] 11 points12 points  (1 child)

      Not a blog, but we are on Twitter where we track our work and voyages.

      Check out @WanderiLiza, @cate_fridolin and @margret_sinda.

      [–]Puttix 9 points10 points  (5 children)

      Wow that’s awesome, but why mention that you are females rather than just scientists in your own right? Is the research somehow better/ worse because you are a female team?

      [–][deleted]  (4 children)

      [removed]

        [–]turdmachine -1 points0 points  (3 children)

        I’m not sure your genitals do, but the way society treats you because of your genitals gives you a unique perspective on life that would be different than a man’s. Whether you personally think that that’s unique enough to make a difference is another thing.

        People keeping women out of these positions seem to think it would make a difference or else they wouldn’t preclude them from being scientists.

        [–]Simzter 4 points5 points  (1 child)

        I'm guessing climate change must have affected - and continue to affect - all the areas you're researching into? How does it affect your work, do you have to take a lot of possibilities into consideration?

        [–]iisd_ela[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

        Of course!

        On almost all of our Great Lakes in Africa, we are suffering from increased flooding and more rain. When lakes are flooded, it makes it much harder to work on them, or access them to conduct research. Flooding can also really affect fish breeding patterns.

        In fact, in Kenya, we have even experienced flooding in our offices, which we can no longer use!

        It can also really change priorities for people. If human populations have been affected or displaced by climate change, helping us out with our research is their lowest priority.

        [–]kortekickass 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        How did you find out about this program? Any initiatives that an interested party (or angel investors) can support?

        [–]iisd_ela[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

        Catherine For me, I found out about it through a collegue - a fellow student.

        Margret A supervisor who was already involved in the program.

        Elizabeth I am on a jobs WhatsApp group and I was lucky to see it and apply!

        [–]everybodypretend 10 points11 points  (3 children)

        What are some examples of times when you brought a unique female perspective to your work?

        This question has already been asked but you didn’t really answer it.

        [–]awesomejustin 1 point2 points  (1 child)

        I think they’re saying they have unique perspectives as individual humans and that’s been denied because they’re women.

        [–]Amazing-Bit6140 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

        yeah, and people are wondering what those unique perspectives are.

        It's a valid question, seeing as it's an unproven assertion they made in relation to the quality of science they conduct.

        Personally i think it's just attention-grabbing, but i was hoping to be proven wrong.

        [–]Mckitten97 2 points3 points  (0 children)

        I volunteer in an aquatic toxicology lab at my university + taking a fisheries management and fish ecology course. I also do some outreach education and community events with my university AFS and local non-profit orgs. There’s a lot about freshwater science that needs attention, especially because it’s such a limited resource. Do you feel like fish ecology, aquatic tox, and limnology are good fields for recent graduates to begin working in? From your perspective, are these fields growing and becoming more inclusive and diverse too? - sincerely a young woman graduating with my bachelors of science in ecology this fall, thanks!

        [–]lechatestsurlatable 5 points6 points  (1 child)

        Were you all interested in science early on? If not, what was your path towards this?

        [–]iisd_ela[S] 13 points14 points  (0 children)

        Catherine I was born a scientist, but not necessarily born to work in fisheires. I actually wanted to be a doctor, but that's expensive! It took me a while to get into it; in my second year, I really started to enjoy the program, when I went deeper into the topics of climate change etc.

        Margret I have always been interested in the sciences and nature. When it comes to fisheries, I actually found myself doing it as I had to follow the government funding. It also took me a while to get into the program, but once I dived in and started to understand the relevance of my work, I became a fish lover!

        Elizabeth I share the same sentiments. I came from a pretty arid area and didn't even know much about fresh water. The first few years were difficult, but my lectures opened my eyes to the importance of the work we do.

        [–]kortekickass 6 points7 points  (2 children)

        What are some of the parallels between the African Great lakes and those in Canada?

        [–]iisd_ela[S] 11 points12 points  (1 child)

        There are many differences and similarities between the two sets of lakes--and it is exciting to be here and discover parallels.

        On the surface they are quite different; the AGL are tropical (which results in freshwater fish species that reproduce quickly, and are used greatly for food) whereas the NAGL are more temperate.

        We have been struck, however, by the shared issues and challenges between the lakes. They all suffer from everything from invasive species to pollution etc.

        It seems as though despite differences, most freshwater lakes suffer from similar challenges. We need to approach them in a similar way, and share knowledge, while remembering key differences.

        [–]kortekickass 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        excellent, thank you!

        [–]KingfisherDays 7 points8 points  (3 children)

        What are some unique perspectives you bring to the field as women that men would not be able to?

        [–]iisd_ela[S] -5 points-4 points  (2 children)

        Check out our answer to /u/jh937hfiu3hrhv9's question!

        [–]KingfisherDays 2 points3 points  (0 children)

        Thanks! Do you have any specific examples of a time when you think the perspective and attitudes you mention have helped you?

        [–]nomnoms0610 2 points3 points  (0 children)

        What's your favourite part of your job?

        [–]DanceswithDrunkards 2 points3 points  (0 children)

        Has the aquarium trade had an effect on the species and ecological systems in the rift lakes? What are some impacts (positive and negative) that people have had in these incredibly bio-diverse areas?

        [–]papadjeef 4 points5 points  (0 children)

        Do you have a favorite aspect of marine biology relating to Lake Malawi?

        [–]tka11486[🍰] 2 points3 points  (2 children)

        What is a cultural norm that delighted you when working with indigenous communities in Africa’s great lakes region? What are gender norms like in some of these communities?

        [–]timn1717 -3 points-2 points  (1 child)

        Yo. They’re fish scientists.

        [–]NinetySixBiscuits -1 points0 points  (0 children)

        They’re female fish scientists and they are extremely self-insistent about that fact, this question is relevant.

        [–]YasJGFeed 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        What unique perspectives do you think women provide, which are exclusive to only women and not other genders? Personally think that take is sexist, you’re saying that inherently one gender is drawn towards certain types of solutions which other genders cannot fathom.

        [–]Emergency_Garlic6375 0 points1 point  (1 child)

        Can you have a unique perspective in science? I thought science was science.

        [–]Omnicrola 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        What inspired each of you to choose your respective fields of study?

        [–]Roman_____Holiday 2 points3 points  (0 children)

        What would you say is the most interesting or unexpected single scientific fact you have discovered as the result of your work on Africa's Great Lakes?

        [–]LlamaLimaDingDong 2 points3 points  (1 child)

        Have you run into any polar bears yet? They're all over the place here.
        p.s. Which is the most delicious freshwater fish in your opinion?

        [–]iisd_ela[S] 13 points14 points  (0 children)

        YES! We saw them at the Assiniboine Park Zoo here in Winnipeg, although not in the wild.

        And like polar bears, we like sweet fish like tilapia.

        [–]ad1don 2 points3 points  (0 children)

        How many times have you been sold sunglasses?

        [–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        What was the hardest thing of getting into a “male” career?

        [–]Rories1 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        What was your biggest obstacles in getting to where you are now, and how have you celebrated your successes?!

        [–][deleted]  (1 child)

        [removed]

          [–]Chaminade64 1 point2 points  (0 children)

          Are there scientists who aren’t as smart as you four who have to work on Africa’s Average Lakes ?

          [–]muffin_utensil -1 points0 points  (0 children)

          What's the funniest thing that ever happened to you at work?

          [–]tbroadurst 1 point2 points  (0 children)

          How are frontosa moba doing? I heard they were endangered...

          [–]Videogamefan21 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          Do you see much wildlife out there? What’s your favorite African animal?

          [–]PopeBasilisk 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          What is your perspective on using fish for permaculture?

          [–]OneLostOstrich 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          What should people outside of the continent know about the lakes that's most important?

          [–]New_Nothing_2022 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          Hi, have you ever struggled with the corporations when you discover an invent that can help africa and the humanity?

          [–]Daxelol 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          Africa doesn’t have Great Lakes. Africa has AMAZING lakes.

          If you had to give one piece of advice to a budding junior scientist right now, what would it be?

          Is there anything specific that you wish you knew before diving into work and research?

          [–]internet_spy -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

          Did the woman king make you proud or disappointed?

          [–]getahitcrash -1 points0 points  (0 children)

          Do you find there are situations where you define yourselves as female scientists because it benefits you to be labeled that way while at the same time you are internally angry that you have to remind everyone you are female scientists?

          [–]Intelligent_Rope_912 -5 points-4 points  (2 children)

          How does European and Chinese colonization affect your research?

          [–]iisd_ela[S] 7 points8 points  (1 child)

          Because of the centering of western approaches to science, we find that a lot of important Indigenous knowledge gets ignored or completely lost. Some of this knowledge could be critical in helping support freshwater ecosystems.

          We depend a lot of foreign money to fund our research, we often means that it is skewed to their different countries' interests and focus areas.

          However, we have seen many great things from Western support. Many European and North American countries have played a role in preserving our ecosystems, introducing us to new technologies, and funding our up and coming scientists, so it is really a mixed bag.

          [–]GringoClintonMiAmigo 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          And what about Chinese? You dodged that part.

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          [–]daveescaped 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          Which Great Lakes are Great-ier? The North American Great Lakes or the African Great Lakes?

          [–]stevepls 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          Wait what? Africa has great lakes? How do they compare to North America's great lakes? Where did they come from?

          [–]CdnPoster 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          Does aquaculture offer some help for famine relief in Africa (the entire continent)?

          I'm half and half because of the droughts so i'm not sure how helpful aquaculture is for feeding people but I keep thinking its potential has yet to be realized......

          [–]guaita 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          Have you seen the documentary 'Darwin's Nightmare'? What do you think about it? It is a bit old but I was shocked when I saw it and made me notice situations I never heard or imagined before... Thanks

          [–]Longjumping-Pen5339 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          Dear fellow researchers . Once iwas at lake Victoria. Full of nutrients and floating water plants. Is there any strategy to address this that is implemented?

          [–]MXN_PESOS 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          Are there any intersting local cryptids, folklore or tales surrounding the lakes?

          [–]davidbones 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          What can we do to help?

          [–]saplinglover 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          What is the greatest source of pollution in the Great Lakes?

          [–]Narynan -3 points-2 points  (1 child)

          How is the conversation of clean water had around you? Do you fear control of water sources to the public? The reason I ask these things is because as a 40-year-old male in America, I truly believe that before I die of natural causes, I'm going to watch people killing each other for water in my country and it makes me wonder. Am I crazy or is this something everybody else thinks?

          [–]timn1717 5 points6 points  (0 children)

          That’s not gonna happen in America anytime soon unless looney tunes take power (which.. yeah, definitely possible). Elsewhere, it’s probably already happening! Yay!

          [–]ihaveredhaironmyhead -1 points0 points  (0 children)

          Do you think women and men practice science differently? If you do, how so?

          [–]Bit56 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

          In Africa, lake's without water are just lake's with missing water?

          [–]kloudrunner -1 points0 points  (0 children)

          Ever wanted to work in a post office in Antartica ?

          [–]pandasaul 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          Has Akon helped?

          [–]it_warrior 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          Nile Perch infestation, water hyacinth invasion, discharge of raw sewage, dumping domestic, industrial waste, fertilizers and chemicals from farms, uncontrolled logging and deforestation.

          Can Victoria lake be saved?

          [–]nide1225 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          What are some aquatic restoration similarities or lessons learned between the African Great Lakes and the United States Great Lakes? There is a lot of talk of trying to rehabilitate the US Great Lakes but it feels like there is not a ton of great research out there to prove certain designs will work. Specifically dealing with the nearshore and how the water level cycles 5 feet over years.

          Does the African Great Lakes cycle that much?

          Are there any good books related to the human history and or the natural history of the African Great Lakes?

          I do a lot of engineering work on the US Great Lakes and would love to learn more about the African Great Lakes.

          [–]EatTheBiscuitSam 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          How much longer do they have?

          [–]redshoeflower 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          thanks for doing this ama. sorry from my side for asking questions little late. my question is how has working in fresh water ecosystem, changed your diet in a broader perspective that you like to share among us, interested in such researches and looking for guidance in this life changing field ?

          [–]Darksecrets9996 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          What time is dinner being served?

          [–]2plash6 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          If you’re from Africa, then why do you speak English?

          [–]New_Nothing_2022 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          Have you struggled with the corporations when you discover something that can help you contry?

          [–]PresentzAdvance -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

          as highly Aqua-Cultured ladies, do you only drink virgin Fiji water ?

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