With arrival of spring this weekend, I was reminded of my favorite author as a child, Beatrix Potter. Of course, we all know Beatrix’s tales of Peter Rabbit, but I loved her work as a scientist even more. Beatrix was very accomplished in Mycology, which is the study of fungi. Her watercolors and drawing that accompanied her studies are what drew attention to her talents as not only an artist, but a storyteller as well. However, Beatrix’s work in Mycology was often overlooked, simply because during her lifetime the greats of science were mostly men. Women in the field were still relatively unappreciated, which turned Beatrix’s efforts toward illustration and storytelling.
Beatrix’s story is one of opening another door after one closes. While I am grateful she filled my childhood, and those of many others, with her beloved tales of a mischievous rabbit, I am still equally as thankful for her role as a pioneer of women in science. She truly is someone we can appreciate for sharing her mind with us in diverse ways to inspire all of us.