Hi all it's good to be here. I hope this season has awakened your senses and put a spring

in your step. Thank you so much for being so understanding about how we've relaxed the

schedule here on She Explorers. It's made me that much more excited to

share this special episode with you. As always, take care and stay curious out

there. All with the show. I'm Gail Straub and you're listening to She Explores.

Were we all worried about losing respect and field cred if we let our sweeter, gentler, more emotional selves show?

Are we all just pretending together?

Who says makeup doesn't go with muck boots.

This is Julia Bingham, Shee, an interdisciplinary marine scientist and currently a PhD candidate at Duke University. Her research is focused on improving conservation and fishery management

through local communities knowledge and values, but her discipline hasn't always been the social sciences.

She's been engaged in field-based coastal research in one form or another for nearly 10 years.

In undergrad and post-grad, their field work had them on rocky shores, mudflats, beach dunes, forested streams, salt marshes, and on-board research boats.

This is all important to know because today Julia is sharing their story of navigating femininity in the field.

And whether you're also in environmental sciences or part of a whole different profession or a past time that has made you feel

pressure to fit in, that has made you question what makes you you, I know

Julia's words will resonate.

Before we jump in, there are a few mentions of sexual harassment and sexual assault in this episode.

Without further ado, makeup and muck boots. It's a long scramble from the truck to the shore down a steep sandstone slope, slick from last night's drizzle.

And with three other scientists, all men, we're heading to an ecological experiment site on the rocky shoreline of coastal Oregon during the early morning low tide.

We'll be down at the water for at least four hours.

The sky is a soft lilac, the stars are disappearing, the ocean is a rough

indigo street with gold. And my attention is centered on scoping out a suitable

...