“science should be devoid of politics and ideology “ is rearing its ugly head again on my French and English speaking TL. As we scientists are human, would you not rather know where I stand ideologically when I advise on something? Do you not need to know my bias? A thread 1/n

For instance I research and have published on #Microplastics. I have been asked by the @BBCWorld and @newscientist to give my opinion on research/ news about plastic. As a scientist I know quite a fair bit about this topic and as an environmental engineering I also know about 2/n

other environmental contaminants and processes and quite a bit about sustainability. BUT I am not an expert on climate change and all environmental issues. However I have opinions, possibly based on a better understanding than most on the science but also based on everything 3/n

else that makes me. I am a woman in a field dominated by men, I am white and middle class so experience a lot of privilege, I am foreign to the country I live in so my view of the world are slightly different, I am a #SJW so care deeply about equality and believe that 4/n

Equality and Climate Justice are the same combat. So when I give my opinions or propose research in plastic pollution it will be sound creative science but it will also be informed by who I am and what my opinions are on the solutions might be. I will need to be called on 5/n

my biases and work with people who might think differently so that we can see a problem from all its angles. If we don’t accept this as a starting point then we have greater chances to surround ourselves with people who think alike and science and innovation will stagnate 6/7

Thanks for reading this far! Really keen to hear others’ opinions! 7/7 #AcademicChatter