Is there a place for me here?

Liz Wyman

We are the universe

In terms of the universe,
we are all particles;
tiny, insignificant,
even still, remarkable.

In science, women have been written out.
We are overshadowed and forgotten.
Will history repeat itself?

We are like hydrogen.
A part of the composition of the universe,
we are a fundamental feature of science,
we are an essential element.

Too small to see in the beginning,
hidden in the shadows and obscure.
But central to life on this earth,
drink it in. We’ll just keep spinning.

We are like dark matter,
undiscovered, then unseen.
But we shine bright, and we will rewrite
history, because there is no time machine. 

Think of Cecilia and her understanding of stars,
or Lise and her discovery of fission.
Once again they had to right their own memoirs,
and paved the way for many women of ambition.

Think of Katherine, her calculations got us to the moon,
or, Dorothy, her coding launched satellites,
and Mary, her advocacy made careers for women in STEM.
Our eyes are open, and we’re crediting all of them.

We understand.
We research.
We pioneer.

Is the future a future we want
if it forgets about humanity?
Science should not haunt,
divide, or cause calamity.

Surely our differences should be embraced,
but in this universe I ask, sincerely,
“Is there a place for me here?”

The Science

There are very real barriers for women in science, particularly for women of colour, disabled women and other intersections of womanhood. As an early career scientist, I question very often if I belong in science; imposter syndrome is hard to overcome. My focus here is on women (because I am a white woman), but the larger conversation is on how Black women and women of colour have been marginalised and excluded from the academy. I wanted my poem to challenge the current thoughts in science and address the uncertainty I feel in “prestigious” places.

The Poet

Liz Wyman is a second year PhD student at Northern Illinois University. She is a microbiologist whose research is focused on fungal genetics. Liz is a first generation student and hopes to be a professor one day. Liz is passionate about scicomm, sciart and outreach. In her free time, she loves reading, hiking, and drinking coffee. Follow her on twitter at @elizabeth_wyman.

Next poem: Leap in the Dark by Hannah Scott