Mt. Pleasant Classical Academy

As a female engineer I read with interest this morning’s article in Delaware Online about the 83yo “Mother of the bulletproof vest” While I have many fond memories of working, mixed in also are too many not-so-good memories of being the only female engineer in a sea of males…..

And here is Kwolek’s story, as a researcher at DuPont, inventing Kevlar…. I could relate to how Kwolek checked and re-checked her lab findings before sharing with management, and how she readily credits developers, and even how she often now is around folks who do not know her inventor past…….

But the point in the article that I really wish to share, was when she shared:

Kwolek recalled long walks as a child in the woods looking for animals and snakes. She kept scrapbooks of leaves and other treasures from her walks with her father. Those experiences helped develop her interest in science.

Develop an interest in science. How simple. Take a walk in the woods and observe nature. Something I did and still do with my boys. I’ve seen the effects of a walk in the woods, and the value of allowing children time to explore under a rock, or hold a toad. It sparks questions, and curiosity. The kids learn to stop and observe, really observe which is how I was able to get the shots shown over at the Adventure Mouse blog when we went for a hike through the woods. MilitaryKid spotted all those nature treasures and while I don’t know what the future holds for him, I’m hoping that nature study and walks in the woods helps to develop an interest in science. Really, a fancy science curriculum isn’t needed, or even Comstock’s Handbook of Nature Study.

Just go for a walk, collect treasures and develop that interest, that curiosity. It is OK to touch bugs, and even good for the soul to hold frogs and toads. You might just be surprised how that little walk will spark an interest, in rocks, or flowers, or bugs, or weather….. and who knows what it might lead to, maybe even another inventor.