Welcome to brain Stuff, a production of I Heart Radio, Hey brain Stuff Lauren Bogle bam here. Education and careers in science, technology, engineering, and math, sometimes called STEM, were once denied to women due to biased beliefs about what women are or should be capable of, Even as only of Americans employed in STEM occupations were women, It's been relatively difficult for young women, and especially young women of color, to find science heroes who look like them in reality
or in fiction. And that's why author Madeline lingle two book, A Wrinkling Time and It's smart, science loving young hero Mac Murray struck a chord with many scientists to be representation is important. We spoke with three modern day Meg's, all grown up to find out how they were inspired by the character's bravery, ambition, and intelligence to pursue real
life science fake success. First up, Dr Amy Saren, a successful neuropsychologist, reading A Wrinkle in Time as a girl had a huge effect on her future accomplishments, and she said via email, it and almost unheard of to have a female heroine who I could identify within a book. I loved the book so much I actually wrote to Madeline Langal and to my surprise, she wrote back. We became pen pals for a short time when I was in third or fourth grade. She encouraged me to follow
my dreams, and her responses really helped encourage me. Meg was far more than a fictional character to Dr Saren, She said, reading the book helped me to identify that I should follow my passion and curiosity. Today. Dr Saren devotes her professional life to helping people who struggle with debilitating neurological disorders like anxiety, PTSD, and depression. We also spoke via email with Dr Amy Baxter, a doctor turned inventor.
Much of the story of A Wrinkle in Time is about Meg's quest to find her father throughout time and space, but Dr Baxter's zeroed in immediately on Meg's mother, Mrs Murray, who was a microbiologist. Baxter said via email, of course I was inspired by Mrs Murray. Why wasn't she doctor out on the garage with her lab equipment. Mrs Murray
was the ultimate balanced scientist. Mom. The nurturing skills to make hot cocoa when the kids needed it, the presence in power to let the kids take care of what they should be able to, the will to plug forward even when her husband was gone, the courage to ignore haters, and the trust in her kids to accept the misses who were three characters in the book when introduced, and sometimes she didn't leave the lab and that was okay. She was a role model for science balance. Like many,
Dr Baxter also felt a powerful connection to Meg. She said, it was the first time I was introduced to a female protagonist who felt ostracized for being smart and was loved anyway, and whose love for others saved the day. Powerful stuff when you're a chubby loner reading books in class all day long. The led to Dr Baxtair's eventual success as a twenty year emergency room physician turned inventor. She said that as a kid quote, I loved the
idea of solving problems in your garage. I made a chemistry lab in my basement at home, but discovered the stuff they give you in kids home chemistry kits can only turn things pink and blue, not cure cancer. Her patients paid off, however, She said, even though I practiced medicine, my career ended up pivoting on something I made in my basement. That's something is a device. She invented to block needle pain, which gained traction as a way to
avoid using opioids post surgery. We also spoke via email with mathematician dr Abby Herzig, who is currently a professor in the Department of Educational Theory and Practice at the University of Albany. The concept of time travel itself played a huge part in her career path. She said, I've always been fascinated by the concept of time. What is time? Is time travel possible? There are intriguing paradoxes and puzzles associated with time travel, all in the nature of the
passage of time. A Wrinkle in Time was one of the first books I read as a child that dealt with these ideas and turned me into a lifelong time geek. The book's gentle push has since led her to explore many areas of science, time, and yes, even time travel. She said, my academic focus has always been mathematics, and my mathematical skills, coupled with my time obsession, have led me to take physics courses and read a lot about science.
Physics in particular, but not exclusively. She enjoys researching and collecting different types of clocks, and also loves investigating the various calendars created throughout history. She said, the mathematics behind some of these measurement concepts is a real addiction of mine, and we think Meg would approve. The Disney Live action film adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time that came out in cast a young black actor in the role of Meg.
Here's hoping that kids of all genders and skin colors can continue finding inspiration in Meg and other science Here is real and fictional m Today's episode was written by A. Leah Hoyt and produced by Tyler Clang. For more on this amounts of other curious topics, visit how stuff works dot com. Brain Stuff is production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts in my heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.