A Question for Women in Geoscience/Environmental Science/Field Science

Kim at All of My Faults Are Stress Related asks:

I've got a question for women readers, especially those in the geosciences, environmental sciences, or field sciences: what do you get out of reading blogs? And if you have a blog yourself, what do you get out of writing it?

I'm asking because there's a session at this year's Geological Society of America meeting on "Techniques and Tools for Effective Recruitment, Retention and Promotion of Women and Minorities in the Geosciences" (and that's in the applied geosciences as well as in academia), and I wondered whether blogs (whether geo-blogs or women-in-science blogs or both) help.

Please do go read her post and, if you are a woman in one of the relevant research fields, leave your 2 cents worth in the comment thread. The post is a wonderfully written examination of Kim's reasons for blogging - you'll enjoy it on it's own terms, even if you don't want to contribute to the comments.

More like this

Retweeting Zuska: Kim at All of My Faults Are Stress Related asks: I've got a question for women readers, especially those in the geosciences, environmental sciences, or field sciences: what do you get out of reading blogs? And if you have a blog yourself, what do you get out of writing it? I'…
I've got a question for women readers, especially those in the geosciences, environmental sciences, or field sciences: what do you get out of reading blogs? And if you have a blog yourself, what do you get out of writing it? I'm asking because there's a session at this year's Geological Society of…
I've been reading both geoblogs and women-in-science blogs for a while, and watching the support networks grow around them. So when I looked through the Geological Society of America's list of session topics for the 2009 annual meeting and saw one about "Techniques and Tools for Effective…
UPDATE: Pat Campbell has asked that if you did take the survey initially when it was returning 404 errors, and you subsequently re-took it, drop her an email and she will send you cookies! She has promised to send cookies to the first 10 of my readers who had to retake the survey, if you let her…

Why do we blog?

Short Answer: "To be heard"

In my view, there are three regimes, roughly: One, few, many.

"One" == Diaries. Some people keep their diary on-line, and don't mind if others read it.

"Few" == Socializing, chatting. The intended audience is close friends, and events only of interest to that circle.

"Many" == Punditry. The goal is to reach as many people as possible with your ideas.

These categories aren't strict walls, but are general aims.