Narrativas de cientistas de Curitiba sobre suas trajetórias pessoal e profissional: em busca da superação dos estereótipos

Abstract

This research addresses an investigation into the personal and professional trajectory of scientists who work in the city of Curitiba, in different areas of science. The motivation to carry out the research with this participating public arose from the researcher’s experience with her students, children studying in the early years of elementary school, who were incredulous at the information that there were scientists working in their city. The general objective was to understand how scientists’ narratives about their personal and professional trajectories can contribute to overcoming stereotypes about this profession, present in the social context. This is a qualitative research approach, in which the semi-structured interview technique was used to construct narratives from the scientists who agreed to take part in the research, based on the Oral History methodology. Ten scientists were invited to participate in the research, chosen from searches in news about their research and also from local contacts, seeking to achieve an equal proportion between male and female scientists. From this audience, after two withdrawals, eight interviews were carried out and transcribed. As part of the selection, four participants were selected – an astronomer, a biophysicist, a historian/paleontologist and a chemist, whose narratives were constructed, after validating the transcriptions with the participants. The textualizations were subjected to an analytical reading, which resulted in the constitution of the following dimensions of analysis: 1) aspirations in the childhood of scientists, 2) the academic and professional training of scientists, 3) the decision to become a scientist, and 4) consolidation of careers and contributions to science. The analysis of these dimensions allowed us to conclude that bringing the story of how each scientist constituted their professional trajectory can contribute to the deconstruction of the scientist stereotype in the context of basic education, as it sheds light on aspects of scientists’ lives that are very close to childhood. And anyone’s life. As a basis for this research, an educational product was developed aimed at teachers in the initial grades of the municipal network of Curitiba, in the format of an e-book, who can use the material to develop activities and discussions with their students, seeking to bring a less stereotypical image scientist só that children can understand and even be inspired by these stories.