Introducing Wilma (Women science bloggers database)

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In life BC (before children) I managed a scientific database group, so when I saw Martin Robbins’ list of women science bloggers I had an urge to organise it.

The database format allows the list to be kept up to date and enables searching.  I’ve taken the opportunity to add two new fields – geographical location and scientific subject area. Please enter this information if you are already on the list. Add yourself if you were missed off the first time.

The new fields include a broad subject area category (e.g. biological sciences, physical sciences) and a free text box for more specialist subject area (e.g. genomics, geology). I plan to turn the free text box into a drop down menu by using the entries to build a controlled vocabulary, this should make searching easier.

I hope having a current and comprehensive list of women science bloggers will be useful:

1.      For science bloggers – to find others in your subject area/location, particularly if  you blog about an unusual topic or are from a poorly represented country

2.      For readers to find new bloggers

3.      For the media to contact specialists

4.      Finally, as Martin said, as a celebration of women science writers

I welcome feedback – please use the comment box below.

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Why is the database called “Wilma”? Because “women science bloggers database” is a Twitter mouthful and "FemSciBlogDB" is too geeky. Wilma is from Wilma Flintstone, one of the names I used to test the database. I’m sure it could be used to make an acronym....

An idea for a future project – include all science bloggers in the database and a field for gender. The search function could then be used to recreate the women’s science bloggers database.

A special thank you to Martin for entering the data in standard format that made it easy to parse.