Women have been making pivotal contributions to science for centuries, and at Labster, we strive to empower and amplify their voices.
We recognize that their contributions have a powerful impact on the scientific community and beyond, and we are committed to celebrating their inspiring work.
In this blog post, we'll be exploring the stories of two such scientific content creators at Labster and the meaningful contributions they are making to our mission.
Meet Freya Maria Fitzgerald Milner
How old were you when you first discovered your interest in Chemistry?
Around the time I turned 8, I got an ancient chemistry set that contained 100s of experiments with chemicals. I played around with all the dangerous chemicals, making something new and exciting out of raw material, watching color and viscosity change, and of course, seeing all the mini explosions. I felt like a mad scientist! I have been transfixed with chemistry ever since.
Who was the teacher who inspired you most to enjoy/have a career in Chemistry? Why were they inspiring?
Ms. Channer was my secondary school and sixth form teacher. I was a very chatty child who always asked why. I wanted to understand why the concepts we learned were important and how they would fit into the wider picture of chemistry. She answered all my questions. She never said, 'You just need to know this' - it was always 'It will build up into more complex and fascinating ideas and hypotheses.’ She fostered my love and appreciation of the sciences and broadened the scope of what chemistry could be used for and applied to.
What are the titles of some of the Labster simulations you have helped to create?
I was the principal Scientific Content Creator on Formulas and Equation Balancing: Save the Chemistry Lab! Recently, I’ve been working on improving the accessibility of some popular simulations: Periodic Table of the Elements: Get the Table Organized in Time!, and Cellular Respiration: Measuring Energy Consumption During Exercise.
What would you like educators to know about how these Labster simulations were created?
We strive to show a love for learning in all our simulations —I think that’s the most important thing to know about Labster. We research each simulation thoroughly, and focus on pedagogy and engagement to design the most scientifically accurate and engaging interactions we can!
Explore Freya’s simulations:
- Cellular Respiration: Measuring Energy Consumption During Exercise
- Formulas and Equation Balancing: Save the Chemistry Lab!
- Periodic Table of the Elements: Get the Table Organized in Time!
Meet Myriam Aquino Cabrera
How old were you when you first discovered your interest in Physics?
I've always been curious about Nature, but I finally settled for Physics during my last high school years after learning calculus. Understanding how much of our world can be explained through equations made me want to pursue a physics career.
Who was the teacher who inspired you most to enjoy/have a career in Physics? Why were they inspiring?
My first inspiration was my high school Physics teacher Dr. Sergio Montañez, who always explained physics from first principles and wasn't afraid of talking to us about advanced topics. Later, Dr. Mihaela Negreanu, my advisor for my BSc and my MSc theses at the Complutense University of Madrid, continued cultivating my love for the elegance and explanatory power of Physics.
What are the titles of some of the Labster simulations you have helped to create?
I have created so many I can't keep track! The first one I ever did was Newton's Second Law of Motion: Speed and Acceleration, and the one I'm most proud of is Coulomb's Law: Electrifying electrostatics.
What would you like educators to know about how these Labster simulations were created?
So much research, dedication, and love go into the creation of our sims. Even for the shortest and most unassuming, we make sure the science is up to date, we compare pedagogical approaches, we review the explanations over and over so that they are clear and accurate, and we craft as many opportunities for the students to experiment as we can.
Explore Myriam’s simulations:
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