Soapbox Science 2022

Soapbox: Did you choose a scientific career or did the scientific career choose you?

Erzsébet Fanni Tóth: It is a really good question ☺ As a very curious person I think I choose science, but given that it invites people who love to explore new things and reflect on the reality from various perspectives, it might have been a mutual thing. I am happy that I can be a scientist.

Soapbox: What was the key moment that brought you to the place where you are today?

EFT: I think I grew up with the topic that I am studying now. It is the topic of silencing social trauma. It was only during my undergraduate years in the Netherlands that I had many aha-moments, and I understood that the things which were very suffocating but very wide-spread in my childhood environment had names and could be studied. I feel a mission to talk about these things in my mother tongue, and also to translate science and scientific results to audiences, who are not (yet) able to read them. 

Soapbox: What is your scientific superhero power? Or what superhero would you be?

EFT: Looking out of the box. Trying to find solutions which are not yet popular, perspectives, which are overlooked. 

Soapbox: If you were stranded on a deserted island, what scientific equipment would you bring with you?

EFT: That’s a tricky question. If it was not a deserted island, but there were people in there, I would have said that a voice recorder. I love talking to people and analyzing narratives.  If I had to be alone there, I would most probably bring my macbook, and would take my time writing all those articles and books, which are there as drafts for a way too long time.

Soapbox: What challenges do you encounter in science?

EFT: Glass ceiling is a real thing, especially if you face it as a woman and as an immigrant. Finding work-life-balance as a mother of two small children is also quite challenging.

Soapbox: What motivates you to give a talk in Soapbox Science?

EFT: I strongly believe in the importance of networking and building bridges between various disciplines and audiences. The core idea of Soapbox Science got me, and I am very happy that I am invited as a speaker this year. 

Soapbox: In these pandemic days, what funny/interesting experiments, books, talks or podcasts can you recommend to our audience?

EFT: I have recently discovered the Ted talks of Kaouthar Darmoni, a Tunesian – Dutch gender studies expert and dancer. Her ideas are very inspiring for me. I would recommend watching them, and following Kaouthar also e.g. on social media, because she is a real power woman!