Women in STEAM (science, tech, engineering, arts, math and medicine) are rocking it in the world today, doing excellent but often under-promoted work. We want more people to know about these women and their work, including girls who might dream of careers in STEAM fields! We’ve partnered with 500 Women Scientists to feature women and gender diverse folks from their Gage search platform in a unique Lifeology card series, which we’ve now updated for June here!
Continue reading to learn more about this month’s featured woman!
Emily Pinckney is featured in our Gage Scientists Who Inspire deck. Working in marine biology and wildlife conservation, Emily is the Conservation Leadership Development Manager and Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion Specialist at Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. She also serves on the Washington State Environmental Justice Task Force and Sustainable Tacoma Commission.
STEAM accessibility, youth involvement, policy and education are the focus of Emily’s work. She is also a member of the Gage search platform.
As an underrepresented scientist, Emily decided to focus her efforts on using an anti-racist lens and promoting environmental justice principles in her science. She educates underserved communities on how to navigate systemic barriers to community-based decision-making.
“Empathy is not an idea, but more a muscle that needs to be flexed. Empathy improves the way in which we do science and has the means to make science more inclusive.” – Emily
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Emily made interactive, virtual nature shows for youth and studied COVID-19 infection in mustelid species, like otters and fishers.
A fun fact about Emily is that she creates dances inspired by current events and movements with inspiration from many different styles of dance, mainly contemporary, African, and jazz dance. Her intersection in her identity within the environment and environmental movement are the focal topics of her art.