If at all, women seek individual solutions that fit their particular situation rather than searching for new modes that will benefit a larger group of people. Thus, women should not be surprised to experience discriminatory attitudes towards them from males and females alike. I have received questions from women regarding science as a career and the problems it brings to parenthood. It would be very satisfying to me if I can help to promote some changes in the working conditions that currently restrict the number of women and parents in science careers. In the research area I have just begun a new large endeavor, funded by a five-year National Science Foundation Grant.
Millipedes are seriously understudied, there are very few experts left in the world.
Yet millipedes are very important decomposers of leaf litter in our forests. The main literature on this group was published at the beginning of this century in languages other than English. Millipede collections in various museums are without curators and are not being used. One of my tasks is to improve the situation, to produce monographs, catalogues on the various species, and identification keys, so that future researchers will be inclined to choose millipedes as their research topic. Under this grant I am training new experts in millipede biology and systematics.