Women in science

In this interview with Krysta Svore, Technical Fellow in Microsoft’s Advanced Quantum Development Team, she reflects on the development of her work on quantum algorithms and leadership role in Microsoft’s quantum computing efforts. She discusses her undergraduate education in mathematics at Princeton University, doctoral education in computer science at Columbia University, postdoctoral work at MIT, and an internship at IBM. She recalls working with figures such as Isaac Chuang, John Preskill, David DiVincenzo, and Barbara Terhal, and gaining an understanding of the practicalities of constructing quantum computers. Svore explains the origins of Microsoft’s efforts in quantum computing with Michael Freedman and Staton Q, and she discusses her own efforts to develop software in tandem with the company’s efforts to develop quantum computing hardware. She reviews the effort to integrate quantum computing into Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform, the roles of the Q# programming language and the company’s partnerships, and how Microsoft benchmarks quantum technology. The interview concludes with her reflections on the status of women in the field of quantum computing.

Interview with Clara Deser, senior scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Deser describes growing up in Massachusetts with intellectual parents, her father being physicist Stanley Deser and her mother being an artist. She recalls her early schooling, including time spent in France during her father’s sabbatical, which is where she discovered her love for maps. Deser discusses the beginning of her undergraduate studies at Smith College before transferring to MIT, where she became interested in geology, earth sciences, meteorology, and oceanography. She shares stories from her field work as a seagoing oceanographer at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, where she worked after graduation. Deser explains her decision to pursue graduate studies in atmospheric sciences at the University of Washington under Mike Wallace. She reflects on the sense of camaraderie within the department and describes her thesis research on El Niño. The interview concludes with Deser recalling the many conferences she has attended over the years and her involvement in the American Meteorological Society. 

Interview with Commander M.K. Baldwin, a retired commander in the Civil Engineer Corps in the US Navy and the first and only female winter-over Officer in Charge with Naval Support Force Antarctica. The interview begins with Baldwin discussing her childhood and her parents’ work as engineers. She recalls her decision to enroll at Clemson University for her undergraduate studies. Baldwin then recounts the path that led her to enlisting in the Navy, and she shares stories from training and life in the service. Baldwin describes her first tour in Guam, her move into the Civil Engineer Corps, and subsequent tour in Italy. She explains how each tour prepared her for her eventual experience in Antarctica and reflects on life as a Commander in the Antarctic. Baldwin concludes the interview with highlights from her time in Okinawa and DC, as well as the volunteering she has done with FEMA since her retirement. 

Interview with Dr. Diana Wall, University Distinguished Professor and Professor of Biology at Colorado State University. The interview begins with Wall reflecting on her childhood in Kentucky, the importance of the Girl Scouts in her life, and her early appreciation for the outdoors. She discusses her undergraduate studies in biology and botany at the University of Kentucky and her decision to stay there to pursue a doctorate degree. Wall describes her research on microscopic animals living in soils as well as her thesis on nematodes. She then discusses her postdoctoral position at University of California, Riverside and her field work in Nevada, Utah, and New Mexico. Wall explains the factors that influenced her to begin her work in Antarctica and talks about the shift from individual work to a more collaborative research environment. The interview concludes with Wall’s reflections on international collaborations, the Antarctic Treaty, and climate change.

Interview with Dr. Diane McKnight, professor at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and currently program director for the Arctic Observing Network at the National Science Foundation. The interview begins with McKnight recounting her childhood with both parents having doctorate degrees, and she discusses the early science influences in her life. McKnight describes her decision to attend MIT for her undergraduate studies and subsequently her graduate studies in engineering, where she worked with Francois Morel. She discusses her engineering classes, campus life at MIT, and the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated field. McKnight then recalls how her early career work at the US Geological Survey led to her work in Antarctica. She shares stories of life at McMurdo Station, meeting Al Gore, and working on the Palmer Station Long Term Ecological Research project (LTER). At the end of the interview, McKnight reflects on how this work influenced her life and what life has been like since.

Interview with Kimberly Williams Mason, who is retired from the US Navy and served in Operation Deep Freeze in Antarctica from 1977-1979. The interview begins with Mason’s childhood in Florida, where her father was in the Army and her mother was a nurse. Mason discusses her love of adventure and her decision to enlist in the US Navy where she first served as a postal clerk. She then describes the circumstances around being selected for Operation Deep Freeze in Antarctica. Mason reflects on the rustic camp life in Antarctica, the lack of training provided, and what it was like being one of the only women there. She shares stories of sorting and delivering mail, and she describes the hierarchy that existed among the scientists, officers, and enlisted. The interview concludes with Mason’s discussion of her assignment in Hawaii after Antarctica, as well as her current life in Denver after leaving military service.

Interview with Sarah Krall, who spent 30 seasons working in Antarctica in various different science support jobs. Krall discusses her childhood in Iowa and her undergraduate studies at Idaho State where she studied environmental science. She then describes her time working for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). Krall recounts her interest in working in Antarctica and her decision to apply to ITT Antarctic Services. She recalls her first position working at the Berg Field Center (BFC) and goes on to describe many of the various positions she held over the years, such as mountaineer, research assistant, helicopter scheduler, cook, and hovercraft operator. Krall shares stories about commune life and the atmosphere around camp over her many seasons in Antarctica. 

Interview with Dr. Anne Grunow, Senior Research Scientist at the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center and curator of the Center’s Polar Rock Repository at the Ohio State University. Grunow describes her childhood in Southern New Jersey where her father was a potato farmer and her mother was a schoolteacher. She recalls helping out on the farm throughout her childhood. Grunow discusses her initial enrollment at Lehigh University for her undergraduate studies and her eventual transfer to Wellesley College where she studied geology. She describes her summer internship at Chevron before beginning her graduate studies at Columbia University, studying with Ian Dalziel. Grunow talks about her time at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory and her field work in South America and Antarctica. She also reflects on being the only woman or first woman on many of her Antarctic expeditions. Grunow discusses her NATO post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Oxford as well as another post-doc that led her to Ohio State University. The interview concludes with Grunow’s involvement in the establishment of the Polar Rock Repository and her general reflections on how the field has changed over time.

Interview with Rosemary Askin, a New Zealand geologist specializing in Antarctic palynology. The interview begins with Askin recounting her childhood in New Zealand where her father worked as a civil engineer. She discusses her undergraduate studies in geology and zoology at Victoria University of Wellington, where she was introduced to palynology which she decided to pursue for graduate study. Askin discusses how she developed her focus area of Antarctic geology and describes her field work there. She talks about her many areas of research such as fossil pollen and the evolution of spores. Askin also recalls the many challenges of being a woman in geology at the time, especially a woman wanting to work in Antarctica. She discusses her academic appointments over the years at Ohio State University, Colorado School of Mines, and University of California Riverside, as well as her time as a Fulbright scholar. Toward the end of the interview, Askin describes her more recent work establishing the US Polar Rock Repository at Ohio State, and she reflects on the changes she has observed in the field of Antarctic science over the years. 

Interview with Diane Kewley-Port, Professor Emeritus at Indiana University in the Speech and Hearing Department. Kewley-Port recounts her involvement in the Acoustical Society of America over the years, including serving as Chair of the Speech Technical Committee, member of the Executive Council, and Vice President. She describes her childhood in Cleveland and her early interest in science and engineering. Kewley-Port then discusses her undergrad and graduate years at University of Michigan, as well as the year she spent working in Denmark for a Danish computer company. She also talks about her time as a research assistant in the Neurocommunications Lab at Johns Hopkins, as well as at Haskins Laboratories, before pursuing her PhD at City University of New York. Kewley-Port reflects on how important ASA has been throughout her career, especially the mentorship and support she has received.