(2021/03/23發表於個人臉書)
三月是美國的女性歷史月 (Women’s History Month)，有很多演講和活動紀念女性在不同領域的成就，以及因為女性身份所遭遇到的種種挫折。
昨天在看paper時，無意間發現Dr. Joanne Simpson (1923-2010) 是美國第一位女性氣象學博士，就查了一下她的資料。她在1949年於University of Chicago取得氣象博士學位，後來在Illinois Institute of Technology，Woods Hole，UCLA，U of Virginia，NOAA，NASA Goddard等地方工作，最後在NASA退休。Dr. Joanne Simpson對氣象學有巨大貢獻，她提出了熱塔假說 (“Hot Tower” Hypothesis)，發展第一個雲模式，推動許多重要的氣象觀測計畫如TOGA COARE，GATE，TRMM等，她認為TRMM是她的職涯最重要的成就。她也是1983年美國氣象協會Rossby Medal得主，這應該是氣象領域最高榮譽的獎章。
Dr. Joanne Simpson是那個年代極為少數的女性科學家，因為女性身份讓她在求學及求職時遭遇不少挫折。比方說她博士論文想研究雲，指導教授Rossby跟她說：
“...no one was very interested in them [clouds], so it was a good subject 'for a little girl to study'.” (https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/.../Simpson/simpson2.php) [不負責任翻譯：沒有人對研究雲有什麼興趣，是個適合小女孩做的題目]
Rossby還很直接的跟她說：
"... told me [Dr. Joanne Simpson] frankly that I would look both ridiculous and pathetic if I really didn't 'make it big' after creating such an unconventional spectacle of myself and exacting such an unfair sacrifice from my husband and child." (Simpson 1973, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences) [不負責任翻譯：妳創造了女氣象學家的奇觀，妳要是沒做出一番事業的話，妳看起來會很可笑很可憐，也對不起妳的丈夫和孩子所做的不公平犧牲]
題外話，後來Dr. Joanne Simpson換指導教授，從Rossby換成Herbert Riehl。不確定Rossby對女性的偏見是否為她換指導教授的原因之一，不過Dr. Joanne Simpson很感激新教授Riehl對她研究上的鼓勵。
Dr. Joanne Simpson拿到博士以後，也因為女性身份讓她求職屢屢受挫，最後終於拿到Illinois Institute of Technology的職位。她去Woods Hole工作時，推動了一個Office of Naval Research和Woods Hole合作的飛機觀測積雲計畫，但因為女性身份，Woods Hole原本不允許她加入野外觀測，負責的Navy Officer跟Woods Hole Director說，“No Joanne, no airplane.” [沒有Joanne，就沒有飛機給你們用]。(https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/Simpson/simpson3.php)
Dr. Joanne Simpson在1983年Rossby Medal的得獎感言也反應了因為女性身份她所受的種種辛苦
"it isn't really so ridiculous that I did all of this. I'm not really a freak; I am a member of the community." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joanne_Simpson#Personal) [不負責任翻譯：(第一句能意會但翻不出來)，我不是一個奇觀，我是科學社群中的一員。]
Dr. Joanne Simpson的科學成就，以及因為女性科學家身份所經歷的種種挫折，是深具啟發的故事。我買了一本關於Dr. Joanne Simpson的書，"First Woman: Joanne Simpson and the Tropical Atmosphere" by James R. Fleming，希望更深入瞭解她的故事。
有興趣的話可以看她1973年，在某個演講場合給年輕女性科學家的建議 (Simpson, J., 1973: Meteorologist: Joanne Simpson. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 208, 41-46. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1973.tb30819.x)：
"Omitting the obvious advice that she must exceed the male competition by several factors, I have boiled my recommendations down to three, as follows:
1. Cold-bloodedly seek a field so underpopulated, if possible, that employers are “scraping the bottom of the barrel.” To my knowledge, all existing women meteorologists got in at the time of World War 11, when hundreds of forecasters had to be trained and sent all over the world for military service. Few women are getting into meteorology today, when male Ph.D.’s are un- employed. Five to ten years from now, the huge World War I1 group will start retiring, and opportunities should again open up.
2. Forego false pride. Learn to type and to teach and to do both of these well, even if you must work without pay. You can always earn room and board by baby-sitting. I started as a volunteer secretary in the Office of the Aviation Director of my state. Later, I became his paid administrative assistant. From that platform I learned to fly, to write effective letters, to administrate, and to handle a budget. The contacts I made and the stimulation received from the job were so essential, that I doubt that I would be here today without them. Cultivate important contacts and references regarding your qualifi- cations and never hesitate to use them. Never take no for an answer, at least for the first three times. Develop a thick skin toward being disliked by some-even many-people. This is bound to happen if you are successful.
3. Learn to put every minute of your time to good use. I have written some of my best scientific papers in the pediatrician’s waiting room, on streetcars and airplanes, while furniture was being delivered, and in other people’s boring seminars. If you must have uninterrupted peace and quiet, without emotional stress, to study or do your work-forget it. Always take work with you wherever you go. Be prepared for an 80-hour week and the prospect that you will be slaving when your friends are lying on the beach, playing bridge, partying, or in the beauty parlor. In the last analysis, then, you must love your work, for the sheer doing of it, as well as or more than anything else"
"Joanne Simpson became a full professor at UCLA in 1961. While there she developed the first computer cloud model. (Photograph courtesy Joanne Simpson and the Schlesinger Library)", https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/Simpson/simpson5.php
最後放兩張以前拍的深對流照片，感謝Dr. Joanne Simpson對深對流的研究貢獻。
-----
參考資料：
Simpson's biography (NASA)
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/fea.../Simpson/simpson.php
Simpson, J., 1973: Meteorologist: Joanne Simpson. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 208, 41-46.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1973.tb30819.x
NASA Weather Pioneer Joanne Simpson Passes
https://www.nasa.gov/topics/people/features/joanne-simpson.html
"First Woman: Joanne Simpson and the Tropical Atmosphere" by James R. Fleming, Oxford University Press, 2020.
三月是美國的女性歷史月 (Women’s History Month)，有很多演講和活動紀念女性在不同領域的成就，以及因為女性身份所遭遇到的種種挫折。
昨天在看paper時，無意間發現Dr. Joanne Simpson (1923-2010) 是美國第一位女性氣象學博士，就查了一下她的資料。她在1949年於University of Chicago取得氣象博士學位，後來在Illinois Institute of Technology，Woods Hole，UCLA，U of Virginia，NOAA，NASA Goddard等地方工作，最後在NASA退休。Dr. Joanne Simpson對氣象學有巨大貢獻，她提出了熱塔假說 (“Hot Tower” Hypothesis)，發展第一個雲模式，推動許多重要的氣象觀測計畫如TOGA COARE，GATE，TRMM等，她認為TRMM是她的職涯最重要的成就。她也是1983年美國氣象協會Rossby Medal得主，這應該是氣象領域最高榮譽的獎章。
Dr. Joanne Simpson是那個年代極為少數的女性科學家，因為女性身份讓她在求學及求職時遭遇不少挫折。比方說她博士論文想研究雲，指導教授Rossby跟她說：
“...no one was very interested in them [clouds], so it was a good subject 'for a little girl to study'.” (https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/.../Simpson/simpson2.php) [不負責任翻譯：沒有人對研究雲有什麼興趣，是個適合小女孩做的題目]
Rossby還很直接的跟她說：
"... told me [Dr. Joanne Simpson] frankly that I would look both ridiculous and pathetic if I really didn't 'make it big' after creating such an unconventional spectacle of myself and exacting such an unfair sacrifice from my husband and child." (Simpson 1973, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences) [不負責任翻譯：妳創造了女氣象學家的奇觀，妳要是沒做出一番事業的話，妳看起來會很可笑很可憐，也對不起妳的丈夫和孩子所做的不公平犧牲]
題外話，後來Dr. Joanne Simpson換指導教授，從Rossby換成Herbert Riehl。不確定Rossby對女性的偏見是否為她換指導教授的原因之一，不過Dr. Joanne Simpson很感激新教授Riehl對她研究上的鼓勵。
Dr. Joanne Simpson拿到博士以後，也因為女性身份讓她求職屢屢受挫，最後終於拿到Illinois Institute of Technology的職位。她去Woods Hole工作時，推動了一個Office of Naval Research和Woods Hole合作的飛機觀測積雲計畫，但因為女性身份，Woods Hole原本不允許她加入野外觀測，負責的Navy Officer跟Woods Hole Director說，“No Joanne, no airplane.” [沒有Joanne，就沒有飛機給你們用]。(https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/Simpson/simpson3.php)
Dr. Joanne Simpson在1983年Rossby Medal的得獎感言也反應了因為女性身份她所受的種種辛苦
"it isn't really so ridiculous that I did all of this. I'm not really a freak; I am a member of the community." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joanne_Simpson#Personal) [不負責任翻譯：(第一句能意會但翻不出來)，我不是一個奇觀，我是科學社群中的一員。]
Dr. Joanne Simpson的科學成就，以及因為女性科學家身份所經歷的種種挫折，是深具啟發的故事。我買了一本關於Dr. Joanne Simpson的書，"First Woman: Joanne Simpson and the Tropical Atmosphere" by James R. Fleming，希望更深入瞭解她的故事。
有興趣的話可以看她1973年，在某個演講場合給年輕女性科學家的建議 (Simpson, J., 1973: Meteorologist: Joanne Simpson. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 208, 41-46. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1973.tb30819.x)：
"Omitting the obvious advice that she must exceed the male competition by several factors, I have boiled my recommendations down to three, as follows:
1. Cold-bloodedly seek a field so underpopulated, if possible, that employers are “scraping the bottom of the barrel.” To my knowledge, all existing women meteorologists got in at the time of World War 11, when hundreds of forecasters had to be trained and sent all over the world for military service. Few women are getting into meteorology today, when male Ph.D.’s are un- employed. Five to ten years from now, the huge World War I1 group will start retiring, and opportunities should again open up.
2. Forego false pride. Learn to type and to teach and to do both of these well, even if you must work without pay. You can always earn room and board by baby-sitting. I started as a volunteer secretary in the Office of the Aviation Director of my state. Later, I became his paid administrative assistant. From that platform I learned to fly, to write effective letters, to administrate, and to handle a budget. The contacts I made and the stimulation received from the job were so essential, that I doubt that I would be here today without them. Cultivate important contacts and references regarding your qualifi- cations and never hesitate to use them. Never take no for an answer, at least for the first three times. Develop a thick skin toward being disliked by some-even many-people. This is bound to happen if you are successful.
3. Learn to put every minute of your time to good use. I have written some of my best scientific papers in the pediatrician’s waiting room, on streetcars and airplanes, while furniture was being delivered, and in other people’s boring seminars. If you must have uninterrupted peace and quiet, without emotional stress, to study or do your work-forget it. Always take work with you wherever you go. Be prepared for an 80-hour week and the prospect that you will be slaving when your friends are lying on the beach, playing bridge, partying, or in the beauty parlor. In the last analysis, then, you must love your work, for the sheer doing of it, as well as or more than anything else"
最後放兩張以前拍的深對流照片，感謝Dr. Joanne Simpson對深對流的研究貢獻。
-----
參考資料：
Simpson's biography (NASA)
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/fea.../Simpson/simpson.php
Simpson, J., 1973: Meteorologist: Joanne Simpson. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 208, 41-46.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1973.tb30819.x
NASA Weather Pioneer Joanne Simpson Passes
https://www.nasa.gov/topics/people/features/joanne-simpson.html
"First Woman: Joanne Simpson and the Tropical Atmosphere" by James R. Fleming, Oxford University Press, 2020.