Celebrating female scientists at TMAG
In celebration of International Women’s Day, the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) is hosting a special two-hour program of talks and hands-on activities, highlighting the achievements of female palaeontologists and earth scientists.
Girls Dig Dinosaurs will take place on Saturday, 9 March is part of the public program for the museum’s current popular family exhibition Dinosaur rEvolution: Secrets of Survival and is presented in association with the Friends of TMAG.
The program includes presentations from Dr Caitlin Syme, a Queensland-based palaeontologist together with University of Tasmania scientists Ms Tessa Smith and Ms Jodi Fox, who will speak about topics such as palaeontology, volcanology, and 19th century fossil hunter Mary Anning.
Alongside these presentations will be the opportunity for visitors to get hands-on with microscopes, looking at real fossils alongside fossil and skeleton casts.
“At a time where there is a national focus on encouraging students to study science, technology, engineering and math subjects, it is more important than ever that young women see themselves represented in STEM occupations”, said Minister for the Arts, the Hon Elise Archer MP
“By giving three female scientists a platform to share their passion and knowledge about dinosaurs TMAG is helping other young women to develop their own love and passion for science.”
Girls Dig Dinosaurs program overview
11:00 am – Welcome and Talks
Speaker 1 – Dr Caitlin Syme (UQ and Office of Qld Chief Scientist) on Palaeontology
Speaker 2 – Tessa Smith (University of Tasmania) on 19th century fossil hunter Mary Anning
Speaker 3 – Jodi Fox (University of Tasmania) on Volcanology
11:45 am – Panel Chat
Time to get to know the guest speakers a bit more and hear why they love to do what they do!
12:00 pm – Activities
Get stuck into hand-on activities! There will be fossil stations, touch objects and digital microscopes to get you up close and personal with the past. This is also your opportunity to speak to the experts about dinosaurs, fossils, geology, volcanology and all things earth sciences.
Girls Dig Dinosaurs is a free event that runs from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm on Saturday, 9 March at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. For further information about this event and the Dinosaur rEvolution public program, please visit: www.tmag.tas.gov.au/dinosaur
Image: Anabelle Abbott, Katie Clauson and Jonte Milne, the Hon Elise Archer MP and Tessa Smith