Professor Gustavo Gottret from the University of Ottawa led a scientific encounter where he talked about Hedy Lamarr, an actress and inventor who was born in Austria in 1914. Although she was well-known for her acting career, Lamarr was also quite intelligent, having co-patented an idea called the “Secret Communication System” that was later used by the military and the cell phone industry.
After initiating the audience to Hedy Lamarr’s work, Professor Gottret also discussed the important role parents play in cultivating interest in certain fields of study in their children. For example, Lamarr’s father showed the actress how machines work and encouraged her to go against the norm. He likely played a key role in sparking her interest in STEM.
The group of participants at the scientific encounter also had the opportunity to discuss their thoughts with regard to women and beauty. Someone mentioned that beauty should not be prioritized over intelligence and curiosity.
We invite you to check out the video below and ponder the ways we (as a society) can stop stereotyping women and girls as beautiful instead of knowledgeable.
