Profile with Dorothy Steane
Dorothy Steane (Tasmania & University 1991) is a plant molecular geneticist who holds a DPhil in Plant Science from the University of Oxford, an honours degree in Botany from the University of Melbourne and a BSc in Botany and Biochemistry from the University of Tasmania. Until recently she held research and lectureship positions at the University of Tasmania – focussing on plant adaptation with particular focus on climate adaptation - but a COVID-induced redundancy in 2020 gave her the opportunity to take stock of her physical and mental health, and to re-align her life goals with her personal values.
Rhodes Project: What is your favorite thing to do in Hobart?
Dorothy Steane: Hobart is a small port city at the foot of Mount Wellington, on the Derwent Estuary. There are lots of opportunities to have outdoor fun. I enjoy water-based activities such as sea kayaking, body-boarding, snorkelling and (cold water) swimming; and land-based activities like bush walking. When the weather is inclement, I enjoy Iyengar yoga and learning to play the cello.
Rhodes Project: Who is your favorite author?
Dorothy Steane: I don’t really have a favourite. Looking at my bookshelf, my collection is very eclectic. I enjoy a good thriller (e.g., Larsson’s Millenium trilogy), a good character-driven drama (e.g., Joanne Harris’ Chocolat; Delia Owens’ Where the Crawdads Sing), or a good politically correct (Bonnie Garmus’ Lessons in Chemistry) or incorrect (e.g., Roald Dahl, PG Wodehouse) laugh. Of Australian authors, I have love-hate relationships with Peter Carey, Tim Winton and Richard Flanagan.
Rhodes Project: What was the first job you ever held?
Dorothy Steane: I did a little bit of work for my father, in the office, stapling newsletters together. After that, I became an excellent house cleaner.
Rhodes Project: When did you become interested in plant science?
Dorothy Steane: I was brought up by parents who were very interested in the natural world. My mother was an amateur botanist and my father enjoyed exploring pond life. When I was at university I was intending to do Marine Biology, but I was deterred by the misogynists running the course. Fortunately, I found botany and biochemistry fascinating (and the staff were very welcoming) and so I decided to follow a “plant biochemistry”. And then I found out about DNA (back when it was new and exciting) … amazing!
Rhodes Project: If you weren’t a scientist, what would you have been?
Dorothy Steane: A health professional – probably a dietician/nutritionist.
Rhodes Project: What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Dorothy Steane: I enjoy helping people (e.g., students) and strangely, I get a lot of satisfaction from giving oral presentations, especially to a lay audience. I also enjoy problem-solving. which is, after all, the essence of science!
Rhodes Project: What frustrates you?
Dorothy Steane: People who don’t listen.
Rhodes Project: What advice would you give to a young woman beginning her career in science?
Dorothy Steane: I would advise her to think very carefully about it. Think about what’s going to be important to her in the long term – does she want an interesting job with nice people? Does she want to travel the world with her job? Science certainly can provide those things. Does she crave job security, a clear career pathway and a big salary? Does she want to have a family? I would advise her to think very carefully because a career in research is a long, hard road, especially for mothers. Fortunately, the situation for women in science has improved over the past couple of decades, so women now should have a much easier time of it than women of my generation.
Rhodes Project: What are you looking forward to at the moment?
Dorothy Steane: At the moment I am loving my life just as it is! For the first time in my adult life, I have the luxury of not having to go to work every day. I am loving having time to enjoy my (recently renovated) house, my garden, my friends and family, my island home, her mountains and waterways. I am looking forward to new adventures, whatever they may be!
Rhodes Project: What brings you the most joy?
Dorothy Steane: Mindfulness of place and moment. I am very grateful to have been born at a time and in a place where women have the freedom and opportunities to explore and make choices. My most joyous moments are in nature, sitting quietly or spending time with friends and family, sharing experiences and having fun. A blissful daily routine for me involves sitting in the sun, enjoying a square of good quality dark chocolate and a cup of tea – life doesn’t get much better than that!.
Back to Scholar Profiles O-S
© 2023