Hi! My name is Reeda. I’m a senior at The Beacon School, and for my Science
Education Outreach Project, I am writing and illustrating a children’s book. When I first joined the Science Squad, I had this really cool, albeit complicated, idea to combine my favorite subjects, art and science, and publish a book that introduces people to relatively unknown or unremarked (think: Ignaz Semmelweis) figures in the scientific community that have made significant contributions to science that pave the way for the future and our day-to-day lives. As I delved deeper into the idea, I kept circling back to why it was so important to me that people learn about them.
When I was in middle school, my Living Environment teacher in seventh grade gave our class an hour-long documentary to watch about Dr. Semmelweis and told us to come back to class with what we learned from the video. At the time, I remember sharing how Semmelweis discovered something that still holds true today: Hand-washing is one of the most important tools in public health. Having discovered the wonders of hand hygiene to prevent the spread of puerperal fever in 1847, Semmelweis
hypothesized that if doctors in maternity wards washed their hands in a chlorine solution before
handling their patients, they could stop the spread of cadaverous particles that got inside women
who died mysteriously agonizing deaths. Notice the could in the sentence? It didn’t happen.
Semmelweis was not known for his tact, and physicians felt threatened by his accusations. After all, they
couldn’t be responsible for the death of their patients (they could, they were).
But what I didn’t share then has stayed with me since. What I really learned from his
story has been the importance of a scientific community, a platform where scientists can share
their knowledge, discuss, and disagree, and the importance of presenting those delicate
discoveries in a way that is digestible and considerate of its audience.
Most people learn about Louis Pasteur and Francis Crick, but they never learn about
Semmelweis or William Harvey. The answer to my why was simple: I wanted people to know.
For someone so inextricably tied to standard practices in science and medicine, Semmelweis
had been left out. I think about what would have happened if I hadn’t done my homework that
day, how I would have never watched the video and discovered the man who tried to get the
world to wash their hands. And I realize that for most people, that remains the case.
As I sought to increase people’s knowledge about the figures hidden in history, I found
my audience. I couldn’t help but consider how few science books, rather books that were about
medicine or research, were available for younger children. While those topics are complicated, I
hope to write expository texts that will increase children’s interest and exposure to science
research earlier. Realizing the lack of access to and availability of these types of books for
younger audiences, I was inspired to write and illustrate a book that intends to expose children
to research and figures often ignored in history despite the vast expansiveness of their
influence.
Planning, writing, and outlining have taught me so much already, and I’m excited to learn
more. With the help of the Science Squad, I hope to continue working on my book and dedicate
more time to illustration during the fall on the path to publication.
More on Reeda's publication coming soon!
Education Outreach Project, I am writing and illustrating a children’s book. When I first joined the Science Squad, I had this really cool, albeit complicated, idea to combine my favorite subjects, art and science, and publish a book that introduces people to relatively unknown or unremarked (think: Ignaz Semmelweis) figures in the scientific community that have made significant contributions to science that pave the way for the future and our day-to-day lives. As I delved deeper into the idea, I kept circling back to why it was so important to me that people learn about them.
When I was in middle school, my Living Environment teacher in seventh grade gave our class an hour-long documentary to watch about Dr. Semmelweis and told us to come back to class with what we learned from the video. At the time, I remember sharing how Semmelweis discovered something that still holds true today: Hand-washing is one of the most important tools in public health. Having discovered the wonders of hand hygiene to prevent the spread of puerperal fever in 1847, Semmelweis
hypothesized that if doctors in maternity wards washed their hands in a chlorine solution before
handling their patients, they could stop the spread of cadaverous particles that got inside women
who died mysteriously agonizing deaths. Notice the could in the sentence? It didn’t happen.
Semmelweis was not known for his tact, and physicians felt threatened by his accusations. After all, they
couldn’t be responsible for the death of their patients (they could, they were).
But what I didn’t share then has stayed with me since. What I really learned from his
story has been the importance of a scientific community, a platform where scientists can share
their knowledge, discuss, and disagree, and the importance of presenting those delicate
discoveries in a way that is digestible and considerate of its audience.
Most people learn about Louis Pasteur and Francis Crick, but they never learn about
Semmelweis or William Harvey. The answer to my why was simple: I wanted people to know.
For someone so inextricably tied to standard practices in science and medicine, Semmelweis
had been left out. I think about what would have happened if I hadn’t done my homework that
day, how I would have never watched the video and discovered the man who tried to get the
world to wash their hands. And I realize that for most people, that remains the case.
As I sought to increase people’s knowledge about the figures hidden in history, I found
my audience. I couldn’t help but consider how few science books, rather books that were about
medicine or research, were available for younger children. While those topics are complicated, I
hope to write expository texts that will increase children’s interest and exposure to science
research earlier. Realizing the lack of access to and availability of these types of books for
younger audiences, I was inspired to write and illustrate a book that intends to expose children
to research and figures often ignored in history despite the vast expansiveness of their
influence.
Planning, writing, and outlining have taught me so much already, and I’m excited to learn
more. With the help of the Science Squad, I hope to continue working on my book and dedicate
more time to illustration during the fall on the path to publication.
More on Reeda's publication coming soon!
