Friday marked the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, and with Tasmania home to the internationally renowned Institute for Marine and Antarctic Sciences, it is perhaps unsurprising that the state boasts a stellar line-up of women breaking boundaries in science.
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Among them are Associate Professor Catriona Hurd, and PhD candidate, Ellie Paine, both immersed in the mysterious world of phycology, the study of seaweed physiology and ecology.
Seaweeds are critical to the health of coastal ecosystems, serving as a habitat and a food source, and creating quiet areas for fish.
But few know that women have pioneered the seaweed space, collecting and studying specimens since the early 1800s, all the while leaving a legacy for the next generation of aspiring female scientists.
For Professor Hurd, there was never any doubt that her future lay in science.
"I've always been passionate about research and even as a kid I knew that's what I wanted to do," she said.
Studying her undergraduate at the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom, Professor Hurd stumbled upon her first female professor, Joanna Jones. The first qualified female diver in the UK and possibly the world, she became a source of inspiration and a mentor.
"Having a woman, you see someone and you go, "Oh, I could do that"," Professor Hurd said.
And so began a lifelong love of seaweed, taking her across the globe, the study still exciting her 30 years later.
Professor Hurd has enjoyed many highlights in her extensive career, including researching the impact of ocean acidification on seaweeds, as well as winning the bid to host the 24th International Seaweed Symposium in Hobart in February 2023.
The symposium is being held in Australia for the first time in its 75 year history, and Professor Hurd said she was excited to see seaweed research and development on the world stage, emphasising what a huge deal it was for Tasmania and for the nation more broadly.
Nowadays, much of Professor Hurd's research is dedicated to understanding thermal response curves, that is, looking at how seaweed performs under a range of temperatures, a critical study in the face of rising sea temperatures.
But it is not just the future of seaweed that Professor Hurd is investing in. Bolstering the careers of budding young scientists, such as PhD candidate Mrs Paine, she is ensuring the legacy of women in seaweed lives on.
Moved by Professor Hurd's passion, Mrs Paine was inspired to advance the field, her PhD investigating the carbon physiology of seaweeds and how environmental factors might alter seaweed's carbon use.
"I think there's so much opportunity to learn about seaweeds in Tasmania ... it felt like the most exciting area to move into," Mrs Paine said.
Mrs Paine also tutors for IMAS, teaching marine ecology to undergraduates, convincing others to join the seaweed league.
"Growing up, I really liked the challenge of going into somewhere that didn't have that many females in it. I didn't grow up thinking that there were many female scientists, so I kind of wanted that challenge," Mrs Paine said.
"I would love it if I potentially inspired more females to join the ranks."
Both Mrs Paine and Professor Hurd see a strong future for women in science and beyond.
"I would encourage other females, if you are interested in science, why not? Take a little step and see, test the water, because there's a lot going on, and I think there's a lot of room for females," Mrs Paine said.
"Pursue the things that make you excited and interested and don't listen to what other people say. So when people say "that's a stupid career for a woman", ignore them. Just do it anyway," Professor Hurd said.
With Tasmania home to more than 750 species of seaweed, the vast majority a mystery, there is ample space for the next generation of women to continue pushing boundaries and doing their foremothers proud.
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