British Science Week: City Girls in Science- Emily Portergill
In this article we meet Cardiff Girl’s Emily to discuss her journey into science and what it means to her.
At City Girl, we are committed to showcasing and developing opportunities for our community, in this case, through highlighting the amazing work our members do in science. We are using British Science Week to focus on the scientific talents hidden among us to discover some of the stories behind the careers/outreach activities our ladies have in this field.
Everyone’s journey into and opinion of science is different, but we want to encourage discussion and networking with like-minded members. So, we’ve asked a few City Girl’s to share their stories and bring women in science to the forefront.
This is me doing some air quality monitoring out in the Australian bush – my first taste of air quality monitoring that led me into my current career.
MEET THE GIRL
My name’s Emily. I’m a Cardiff Girl, 23, and work as an Environmental Consultant. Although born in Northamptonshire, I moved to Bristol when I was two and a half and lived there until I moved to Cardiff in 2015 for university. Growing up, I never really knew what career I wanted to end up in, always being very indecisive.
Naturally I have a scientific brain (my family have a scientific background) and this led me to study Chemistry at university. I chose Chemistry because I knew I was scientific, and due to my indecisiveness, I needed those extra few years to decide on a career direction. Whilst at university, I went on a year abroad in Australia where I undertook a research project based on air quality monitoring and modelling. This led to the decision that I wanted a career within the Environmental sector.
As much as it might sound like a cliché, in 5 years I would just like to be happy in my career and feel like I am making a difference.
1. WHAT DOES A DAY IN THE LIFE OF YOUR ROLE LOOK LIKE?
As an environmental consultant, my days at work can vary. So far in my career I’ve specialised in air quality, working to understand the impacts the built environment can have on humans and habitats through emissions of pollutants to air through modelling, monitoring and assessment. Although much of my role is desk-based, working on calculations and modelling of emissions, I’ve also been lucky enough to partake in site visits to monitor air quality in the field.
2. WHY IS SCIENCE IMPORTANT TO YOU?
Science is important to me because it underpins how we can strive towards a better world; how we can understand the environment around us to protect it for future generations. Climate change is a global crisis that without science we wouldn’t be able to fight against.
To me, science means the world (quite literally) - without it none of us would be here. So we need to look after it!
3. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE WANTING TO GET INTO SCIENCE/YOUR ROLE?
The advice I’d give to a woman wanting to get into science is just to believe – believe in yourself and believe that the work you’re doing is going to make an impact on both science and the environment. Don’t be afraid if you’re at an interview and all the other candidates are men, don’t be afraid if you’re the only woman speaking at a conference or event, you’re creating positive change.
4. WHAT IS YOUR BEST SCIENCE FACT?
A sperm whale’s poop offsets carbon in the environment! Each whale’s poo releases about 50 tonnes of iron annually. This iron is a key nutrient that spurs the growth of photosynthetic plankton, who store carbon within their own tissues. When the plankton die, they skink and trap their carbon in the abyss for thousands of years.
I’d also recommend reading Greta Thunburg – No One Is Too Small to Make A Difference - a book that consists of a collection of speeches she’s presented about the climate crisis. It’s straight to the point with a very clear meaning – our planet and the human race is in trouble and we need to make a difference.
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Written by Emily Portergill and Charlotte Bird