Stories of Men

Professor Lesley, a brilliant electrochemist, talks about challanging sexism in science

Pioneering Electrochemist on Overcoming Sexism in Science

 “I was so excited about it. I was running up to people in the department that had no knowledge of what I was doing and saying, I've got this great discovery! I've discovered this thing and I've done some wonderful experiments and look at the results! ... Seeing results that nobody had seen before and coming up with this theory that nobody had come up with before, it was empowering. It was exciting. I loved it.”

Pioneering Electrochemist on Overcoming Sexism in Science


This week in Our Voices we return to the world of science via the story of Lesley Yellowlees, who overcome sexism in science in order to conduct groundbreaking research as a leading electrochemist and has spent most of her career at the University of Edinburgh.

Natural aptitude for science


Lesley knew from a young age that science was for her. She had a natural aptitude for solving scientific problems. She also enjoyed performing algebra and calculus. Her feelings were not the same when it came to other subjects, however. “I got much more immediate satisfaction from solving a scientific problem than I ever did from writing an essay.”

School rebel who later became a brilliant electrochemist

Not enjoying essay writing was not the only issue that Lesley had at school. She says “I was always getting into trouble.” One of the reasons for this was to do with her rebellion over having to wear her school uniform. Lesley grew up in the 1960s. 

During this time it wasn’t just a requirement that Lesley wore her uniform at school, she was expected to wear it out of school too. Her uniform included a little beret, which she was determined not to wear. This meant that she continually found herself getting punished. Yet, Lesley was not resentful of such punishments. “I thought it was a bit of a laugh actually.”

Open-minded upbringing

Lesley went to an all-girls school, which turned out to be extremely beneficial for her scientific interests. All of her teachers were female and all of them had PhDs. “They were all inspirational. And they all believed in me. And they encouraged me hugely.” Despite it being the 1960s, Lesley was insulated from gender prejudice while at school. 

“I never questioned, why couldn’t I do science? If that was what I was good at and what I enjoyed, why couldn’t I go on and study it? Why couldn’t I have a career in it? I never came across any barriers to studying science.”

The highest ambitions


As a result, Lesley went on to study chemistry at the University of Edinburgh. In so doing, she became one of a small number of women in chemistry. And she became the only woman from her year to graduate with honours in chemical physics. “ I wanted to become top, I wanted to get the best marks. I like to do well, I like to succeed.” This attitude explains Lesley’s success in her studies and what shaped her into a brilliant electrochemist later in her life. 

Winning the class medal

Her Year 2 exam results clearly demonstrated this. After a nervous wait, the results for the students were posted on a board. Lesley went to find out how she had done and, to her delight, discovered that she had come top of her class. This meant that she would be receiving the class medal.

First signs of sexism in science


A short while later, while still basking in the glow of her success, Lesley faced the first signs of sexism in science. It was during a tutorial that her professor said to her

 “There was a lot of discussion about whether you should get the class medal because you’re a woman and some felt that you’ll not take science any further forward. And, therefore, it would be a waste of time giving you the class medal.”

 Lesley could not believe what she was hearing, this confirmed that sexism in science was prevalent and thriving. “I was absolutely horrified. I mean, I’d won that class medal fair and square. We’d all sat the same exams, we’d all done the same labs. We’d all handed in the same reports. We’d all got everything marked the same and my mark was the best. And yet, because I was female, they didn’t want to give me the class medal.”

Meeting Allies on her Journey to becoming a trailblazing electrochemist


Fortunately, Lesley’s professor had been an ally and he had challenged the culture of sexism. He’d passionately argued that, as the top performing student, the medal should have been hers. But he’d felt so strongly about the discussions that took place that he’d felt Lesley should be made aware of them. Yet, not only was Lesley’s professor an ally, so were her fellow students.

 “Because they were so outraged and supportive, I think it made it easier for me to hear so that it wasn’t just me that was angry; other people were angry on my behalf.”

Re-evaluating her surroundings

Nevertheless, the experience did make Lesley re-evaluate the world around her. She felt disappointed in the university and she started to realise “that perhaps I hadn’t got the world quite right… that there were other things going on.” Eventually, however, she decided not to dwell on the situation. She had her medal, her focus now would be on getting the next one.

Becoming a pioneering electrochemist


After graduating from university, Lesley proved her doubters wrong and became an established electrochemist. This involved travelling extensively. Her travels took her to Australia where she researched solar energy. She was investigating how dyes could be converted into electricity by using the sun’s energy

During the course of her studies, she came across some results which were very different from her predictions. When she repeated her experiments and the results remained the same, Lesley realised that she may have discovered something rather interesting.

 “I was so excited about it. I was running up to people in the department that had no knowledge of what I was doing and saying, I’ve got this great discovery! I’ve discovered this thing and I’ve done some wonderful experiments and look at the results! … Seeing results that nobody had seen before and coming up with this theory that nobody had come up with before, it was empowering. It was exciting. I loved it.”

It was clear that Lesley had discovered her passion. Scientific research would be the focus for the rest of her career in which she would establish herself as a pioneering electrochemist.

The importance of giving back

In 2012, Lesley became the president of the Royal Society of Chemistry. In accepting, she became the first female president in the organisation’s 175-year history. As president of the society, she made it her mission to challenge sexism in science. 

Lesley also received an MBE in 2005 for her services to science and a CBE in 2014 for her services to chemistry. Lesley is now among the most celebrated female chemists. When asked what advice she would give to future potential women in chemistry, she says: 

“go for it and I’ll back you and I’ll help you as much as I can…  I’m now in the fortunate position where I can give back. And I think it’s tremendously important that we do that. And that you put a hand down and help people up.” 

Share this episode

Listen Longer

Our Voices Plus members get access to ad free episodes, plus many bonuses including early access episodes, bonus episodes and more. Click below to learn more.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

           PROFESSIONAL
 

Laura is the mix engineer for the Stories of Men podcast. She has a BA in Music from Nottingham University and an Advanced Diploma in Music Production and Sound Engineering from Abbey Road Institute. Alongside working for Our Voices she is a freelance sound designer and technician. Her highlights include sound design for JK Rowling audiobook ‘The Christmas Pig’, and sound effects editing on The Outlaws, on the BBC.

For the Stories of Men podcast, Laura is typically provided with a Voice Over and interview. She then cleans the dialogue, integrates the podcast intro and outros, chooses the music that will add to the storytelling and pacing of the episode, then bring all the elements together in the mix, followed by mastering and then delivering the final edit.

Experience in Industry: 3

                 PERSONAL
 

Favourite Food: Potatoes

Favourite Sport: Wild swimming

Favourite Show: Anything Marvel

Favourite Movie: Anything Marvel

Favourite City: London

Hobby: Music

Favourite Book: Northern Lights

           PROFESSIONAL
 

I’m the community manager at Stories of Men. I spend most of my time focusing on the implementation of our marketing strategy, achieving goals and KPIs, and the rest of the time listening to the amazing stories of our guests. What I love most about working for Stories of men is the impact it has on peoples’ lives. It requires a lot of courage to tell your story out loud so I make sure these stories are heard by as many people as possible.

I was born and raised in Pakistan and I’ve been living in Hungary for over two years now. I have a Master’s degree in Marketing and I live for mastering the art of digital marketing.

Industry experience: 3 Years

                 PERSONAL
 

Favourite Food: Biryani – introduced by the Mughal rulers in the Indian subcontinent; this dish is an absolute delight. Also, can never say no to a good burger – extra cheese!

Favourite Sport: Cricket – I grew up playing and watching cricket with friends and family.

Favourite Show: Stranger Things – I love how an odd group of friends fight against challenges bigger than themselves.

Favourite Movie: Harry Potter – The only movie I can watch over and over again!

Favourite City: Prague – Absolutely love the Baroque and Gothic vibe of this city.

Hobby: Netflix, Travelling, and Eating- I want to try different cuisines from every country once in my lifetime!

Favourite Book: The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown – A fast-paced thriller that keeps you hooked from the first page to the last.

           PROFESSIONAL
 

I run Fascinate Productions, the production company behind the Stories of Men podcast. I’ve had a wide variety of roles in media, from underwater videography, to live televised sporting events around the world. But since listening to my first audiobook in 2016, I’ve been all about audio and jumped in with two feet. Podcasts are enabling the world to democratise its most valuable information. They’re about spreading messages, and sharing ideas, and it’s my mission to help those holding the knowledge, to distribute it far and wide.

When Alex approached us with the idea of making a short stories podcast, with a big social impact, he got our attention. As the producer of the show, I’ve heard his guests’ highest highs, their lowest lows, and the moments of change that made them who they are – it’s been a privilege helping to craft their most intimate experiences into stories for you to enjoy.

 Experience in Industry: 5 years

                 PERSONAL
 

Favourite Food: Ice cream. It’s just the greatest culinary invention.

Favourite Sport: Rugby. I played from the age of 5 until 26 when a dislocated shoulder put me out of action. Still like to watch now though.

Favourite Show: The 100 – I love those ‘what if humans nearly got wiped out?’ type shows.

Favourite Movie: Gladiator

Favourite City: London. As a country boy from Yorkshire, I never thought I’d enjoy living here.

Hobby: Listening to podcasts while on long walks with my dog Alfie.

Favourite Book: I love to read anything business/startup related… One of the most recent great ones was Good Strategy/Bad Strategy by Richard Rumelt

          PROFESSIONAL

 

Richard Willan is the CEO of Fascinate productions, a podcast production and promotion company. Before starting Fascinate, he worked an audio engineer, mastering tracks for artists on major and independent labels.

He is an executive producer for ‘Stories of Men’ where he assists with production, creative direction of the show, and marketing strategy.  

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 15 YEARS

                 PERSONAL

 

Favourite Food: I love Indian food – My favourite dish is a Dansak. It’s a rich combination of hot, sweet and sour flavours, made from lamb and lentils.

Favourite Sport: I enjoy watching combat sports like MMA – Isreal Adesanya is my favourite fighter at the moment, due to his Tae Kwon Do base and speed. 

Favourite Show: Succession – an American satirical drama. The character development is incredible, and the writing is top notch. 

Favourite Movie: True Lies. I find it amazing that someone who can’t act (Arni) has so many great films.

Favourite City: London, because it is a melting pot of culture and the music scene is amazing. 

Hobby: Making music, going to gym and eating out. 

Favourite Book:  The Secret History by Donna Tartt. I love the world she created, and the incremental path the characters take into darkness. It’s amazing.

           PROFESSIONAL
 

I am responsible for writing blog articles for the Stories of Men podcast. I have the privilege of listening to fascinating stories on the topics and issues regarding men that are of greatest relevance to our society today. Once I’ve done this, I create articles that provide an overview and description of the conversations in order to help spread them to the widest possible audience. My job is to make these articles as engaging as the conversations themselves.

As an English teacher who has worked with students from all over the world for over 10 years, I have got used to successfully communicating with those from different backgrounds and cultures. This has helped me to appreciate the value of connection across borders and boundaries. It has also helped me to appreciate that we are all able to learn from each other’s experiences.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 10 YEARS

                 PERSONAL
 

Favourite Food: Chocolate. It’s an indulgence, I know, but it tastes so good. I particularly enjoy dark chocolate for its richness and smoothness. 

Favourite Sport: Football.Unfortunately, my local team (Nottingham Forest) is not in that top league but I hope that one day it will be.

Favourite Show: The Wire. 

Favourite Movie: The Godfather. 

Favourite City: Reykjavik. I had the pleasure of spending two weeks there a number of years ago and I loved the place for its beauty, culture and calmness. It’s rare that you can be in a capital city and experience genuine space and peace and quiet. There’s also a black sand beach to walk along, although, due to the cold, I wouldn’t recommend bathing in the sea!

Hobby: Watching films. I love films, foreign films, classic films, contemporary films, just all good films.

Favourite Book: “Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer. 

           PROFESSIONAL
I’m the Editor of Stories of men. I craft compelling narratives from the stories of our fantastic guests, editing their interviews and scripting the episodes. I’m a freelance journalist and audio producer from Northern Ireland, currently based in California. I cover social issues, health and gender – with reporting in The Guardian, Vice, NPR, Cosmopolitan and many others. My focus is shining a light on the communities and initiatives that improve people’s lives. I have a background in the nonprofit space, having worked in communications for a mental health charity, as well as an education start-up. I mentor young female writers and sit on the board of an NGO that empowers women in global supply chains. 
 
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE: 11 YEARS
                 PERSONAL

Favourite Food:  In a word, sandwiches. The possibilities are endless.

Favourite Sport: Show jumping. When I was little I wanted to be a professional horse-rider, and I still get a kick out of watching the pros in action.

Favourite Show: Fleabag: the writing and acting create a thrilling kind of intimacy I haven’t seen anywhere else.

Favourite Movie: Victoria is an incredible German thriller that’s all shot in one take – it’s a real trip. Plus it’s beautifully soundtracked by Nils Frahm.

Favourite City: Very hard to choose, but it’s got to be Barcelona. The food, the pace of life, the winding streets – there’s nowhere else like it. 

Hobby: exploring city streets on my bike – preferably while listening (safely!) to a podcast – is when I’m at my happiest. 

Favourite Book: Bernadine Evaristo’s Girl, Woman, Other is a stunning, utterly unique portrait of womanhood, race, ageing and the principles we choose to live 

           PROFESSIONAL
 
I am the host of Stories of Men. I help to find men that have a powerful voice to share and then I speak to them and help to tease the stories out of them that will have a positive impact on the listener. 
 

While running Swoosh English, an online English school from 2013 – 2021, I had the opportunity to meet men from all walks of life and many of these guys had incredible stories. This inspired me to start ‘Stories of Men’ because I wanted to give these men a platform to share their stories with the world.

I love the detail that people go into and how people craft stories in different ways. My dream and vision for the future would be countless people messaging to tell us how a particular episode has changed their lives!

                 PERSONAL
 

Favourite Food: Avocados – an incredibly delicious fruit that can be used in so many dishes. My favourite is guacamole with nachos!

Favourite Sport: Boxing and football (couldn’t choose one!)

Favourite Show: 2 comedy series: Alan Partridge and The Office (UK version). I just love English humour!

Favourite Movie: Shawshank Redemption: An unbelievable journey full of twists and turns.

Favourite City:  New York – Living there for a year in 2008 changed my life. It made me believe that anything in life was possible if you want something badly enough.

Hobby: Football, boxing, reading, learning Spanish, travelling and watching fascinating conversations on Youtube.

Favourite Book: Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts – a book about an incredible journey.