That’s why, when I created this character, I decided to give him a paper mustache. I could have put on a wig or changed my clothes, but I chose to make a ‘man with a mustache’ because that was the image that most represented those who left me those comments.
WIRED: What was the inspiration behind Polilinker and how did it feel to give shape to this idea?
Polylinker: I think Polilinker has always been inside me. In fact, Polylinker has been my Instagram user for years. If someone travels back in time, say, ten years ago, and looks for PolylinkerI’ll be there. What happened is that I had never encouraged myself to make videos until a key event prompted me to do so: winning a municipal youth award in my municipality, an award that, honestly, I never thought I would be able to access. I always thought I wasn’t capable of something like that, but the short story is that my mom convinced me to apply. Thanks to her, and everything that happened, my confidence grew and I realized that I could do it. So I decided to start making videos. In reality, I have always been that person who shares curious facts, only now I do it on the internet. And the best thing is that people liked it, which makes me really happy.
WIRED: Why did you win this award?
**Polylinker: **The award is in the research and academic category. Basically, they gave it to me for being a “nerdy” my entire life. Like many other people, I was always involved in projects, competitions, and when I was in high school, I had more awards than friends. So, in the end, all those achievements had to be worth something. I decided to present these recognitions in a call and, to my surprise, the government of my municipality found it interesting and awarded me the award. What I want to highlight from this is that, like many, I never believed that I would be able to earn something just by doing what thousands of people do: participating in projects. But someone believed in me. That person was my mother. And what I would like to say to other people who maybe, like me, have been introverted for a long time, is that if someone believes in you, don’t think that person is crazy. You should listen to him, because if someone sees something in you, it is for a reason.
WIRED: What has been your experience doing social media outreach?
Polylinker: At first, I never imagined that my videos on TikTok would reach so many people. I started creating content for my friends, but suddenly, one of my videos went viral, and I realized that doing scientific dissemination has a lot to do with self-knowledge. I realized that many people think that popularizing science is simply reading a book, but that is not the case. I like to make science more accessible, add humor to it, remove that boring air. I think science can be fun. My style is relaxed and not very formal, and people like it. It is important to remember that scientific dissemination is not about appearing perfect or meeting challenges, but about being authentic. On the other hand, I am very against making people feel bad for not knowing something, especially when it comes to misinformation. There are two types of people when faced with misinformation: those who help you with kindness and those who do so in a condescending way. The best way to combat misinformation is to be kind, without making anyone feel bad. We all ignore something, and the key is to share knowledge in a positive way and without judging
WIRED: What advice would you give to other women who study science or who are interested in science communication? Now with your experience.
Polylinker: My advice to girls is to prepare for the comments they are going to receive, because sometimes, even if we don’t mess with anyone, very ugly things come, even threats. It’s something real, I’m not telling you something that won’t happen. If you want, I can show you my chat. It’s sad, but it’s reality. To everyone who wants to do outreach, my message is simple: just do it. I started with the most basic, recording with my phone leaning on the window and taking advantage of the sunlight. You don’t need a big studio or equipment. If you have something to share and a way to do it, you will surely do well. I know there are many people with potential who don’t dare, but I’m here to tell you: go for it! When you make videos, you don’t know who is on the other side watching, from the bed, the bathroom, or while they eat. But when you can meet those people, it’s amazing, because you know they have something in common with you. It’s like having a lot of friends spread around the world, and that’s what I like the most. One of the most beautiful experiences was when I met a girl of about 7 or 8 years old at an event in Guanajuato. She told me she wanted to be like me and asked me if Science was for her. My response was direct: ‘Look girl, if one day someone tells you otherwise, let me know. Because I will always support you.’ That’s the most satisfying thing of all: inspiring someone so young.
WIRED: How do you think the social perception of science could change if the work of women scientists were valued more?
Polylinker: There are many stigmas about women in science and in professions in general, such as the idea that, if you are a woman, you can only achieve things by taking advantage of your charms or flirting. But I want it to be understood that we are people with brains, just like everyone! Sure, we are emotional, and our biology plays a role, but that doesn’t define us or limit what we can achieve. Now, I want you to think about the future: do you want to live in a truly advanced world, in a future full of technology and progress? Well, to get to that future, we need to take advantage of all the ideas, all the minds. We cannot continue leaving half the population aside just because of prejudices as old as that women are only good for being pretty or for parenting. Imagine what it would be like to waste half of the available talent. It is time to move towards a better, inclusive future full of possibilities.
WIRED: What is the future of science in a context where social networks are saturated with information?
Polilinker: It is true that the algorithm favors other types of content, but I like to think that, in some way, someone enjoys what we share with them. When you are with your friends and bring up a scientific topic in the middle of a conversation, you are also leaving a mark and helping to spread the message. I don’t think that scientific dissemination is going to replace TikToks of dances, trends or funny faces, but I have hope that it will continue to grow. The important thing is that we are reaching people through popular platforms, and they will not be able to escape us.
WIRED: Why does your community say you’re our favorite overqualified baker?
Polylinker: This is a common joke in my community. The idea is that, in some sense, a biotechnologist is nothing more than a baker, but with ‘overqualified’ skills. What we do is take advantage of the properties of microorganisms to carry out processes that interest us. For example, a baker uses yeast to make bread, while we use it to produce insulin.
WIRED: Biotechnology, Mathematics, Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Fungi, Modeling, Biofuels, which is your favorite and why?
Polylinker: My favorite, without a doubt, is mathematics. And in the content I create, I really enjoy making jokes about mathematicians. It’s like a way of saying that, deep down, I want to be like you. Although, luckily or ‘unfortunately’, my path led me to be an engineer, pure mathematics continues to be one of my great passions. I believe they are at the very heart of the world; It is something so profound and fundamental that, although it is difficult to see, it is completely undeniable. One of the branches that I find most interesting and that connects with what I know is biotechnology, especially in the study of fungi through their geometry. I find it fascinating how fungi are such resilient organisms, capable of living in almost any circumstance, and with truly surprising geometric structures. I think there is a branch of mathematics that I could apply to better understand these structures, and who knows, if fungi are so efficient at surviving, maybe we could learn a lot from them… Who knows? Maybe my future PhD in mathematics is closer than I think.
#Polilinker #hope #women #science #dissemination #find
