I had so many career goals as a kid, rotating constantly: a paleontologist, an engineer, an astrophysicist, a marine biologist, a doctor. Notice a pattern? My entire life I have wanted to some kind of scientist, so much so that my elementary school science teacher coined me as her “future scientist.” Now, as a junior in college, I am majoring in a science field, looking to make that dream come true.
When look back at young Julia, she was obsessed with all things science. She dressed up as a paleontologist for Halloween and was constantly learning about the amazing scientists in fields that she loved. She read plenty of books about the big names in science. One name however always stood out to her: Jane Goodall.
The first time I learned about Goodall was in a Who is? book, which talked about her discoveries and work with chimpanzees. After that, I was hooked.
Goodall was someone who encompassed exactly what I wanted to be as a scientist: someone who did incredible work, and someone who got to see the world. To go to work each day, she didn’t go to an office, she stepped outside to hang out with chimpanzees (so cool)! When I was a kid, I wanted to be Goodall.
I received the news that Goodall passed away at the age of 91 while I was studying in the library for a science class, a class that I was taking because she inspired me all those years ago.
She has inspired me and so many young people interested in science to pursue it. She has shown what a scientist can be. As a tribute to her and the work she did, these are some of the coolest things that she did in her career and her life in general.
- . Primate Research
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This is probably what Goodall is most known for, and for good reason — the work she did was actually incredible. She studied chimpanzees using tools, as well as their complex and human-like social behavior like strong mother-infant bonds, compassion, and organized warfare.
- . Named Chimpanzees
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Goodall gave each of the chimpanzees she worked with unique names instead of just numbers, which was the conventional scientific approach at the time. It was fairly controversial at the time, but Goodall studied the individual personalities of all the chimpanzees and found the names fitting. Go Goodall!
- . Appointed United Nations Messenger of Peace
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Goodall was appointed as the United Nations Messenger of Peace in 2002. She served as the Messenger of Peace for over two decades. In this role, she did a lot to bring global attention to the urgency of protecting our environment.
- . Founded the Jane Goodall Institute
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Goodall founded the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977. It is a global nonprofit wildlife and environmental organization. The institute’s mission is to improve the treatment and understanding of primates through public educational and legal representation, to protect their habitats in partnership with local communities, and to recruit and train young people for these missions.
- . Roots and Shoots
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Roots and Shoots is a youth program for people empowered to use their voice and take action influencing change in their communities, founded by Goodall. The program encourages young people to take action on environmental, conservationist, and humanitarian issues in their own community. It encourages youth to become compassionate leaders by encouraging hands-on projects that can make a real difference.
- . Moved to Africa at 18
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Goodall saved money from her waitressing job to move to Kenya. There, she worked for Louis Leakey, an anthropologist. Three years later, she moved to the Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve in Tanzania to begin her work with chimpanzees. She did all of this without a university degree.
- . Got a Ph.D Without a Prior Degree
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Goodall earned her Ph.D from the University of Cambridge without receiving any previous university degree. Her mentor Leakey arranged for her to attend and her thesis, “Behavior of Free-Living Chimpanzees,” showed her groundbreaking research in Tanzania about the world of Chimpanzees.
- . Inspired So Many Women to Become Scientists
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Goodall has done so much to inspire young women to become scientists. She may have had an unconventional path to becoming Dr. Goodall, but her research changed the way we see chimpanzees and immensely expanded science. Goodall gave so many women the inspiration and support they needed to go on their own path to becoming world renowned scientists.
Goodall truly changed science for the better, inspiring so many women and making a huge impact in the study of primates. I truly have to thank her for being one of the first scientists that paved the way for me to fall in love with the subject. I cannot wait to see the amazing work that the scientists she inspired create. I hope that in my journey of science and research, I am just even a little bit like her.