Does Palaeontology have an image problem? | Elsa Panciroli

Palaeontology is synonymous with excavating fossils, but the stereotype of the rugged, white, male digger, could be a barrier to diversity in Earth science

As I eye myself in the mirror before heading off to the office for another day of palaeontological research, I wonder: ought I to be wearing a hat? Preferably wide-brimmed, even a Stetson. I button up my teal cardigan - shouldn't that be a checked shirt? Or a t-shirt with a T rex meme emblazoned across the front? And where are my hiking boots? No-one ever studied extinct animals in a skirt and tights now, did they?

"She's too well dressed to be a palaeontologist," a male colleague recently commented to me, regarding a leading female researcher. It was said in jest, but I was troubled by the inference that there was a "correct" way to dress for our job. I found myself wondering: do I fit in with my colleagues? Does a desire to colour-match suggest you're a less dedicated researcher?