This text is part of the special Research section
Committed scientist, high-level snowboarder and outstanding communicator: Louise Hénault-Ethier has an eclectic background. Now director of the Eau Terre Environnement Center at the National Institute for Scientific Research (INRS), she wants to pave the way for more women to pursue careers in science.
The busy life of Louise Hénault-Ethier is fascinating for any journalist who wants to portray her. The Montrealer, a regular at thrilling activities, fell in love with skateboarding as a teenager. “I started the skateboarding in 1992, she says. At the beginning, I had no talent, I practiced in secret in my garage. »
Thanks to an overflowing passion and resourcefulness, Louise Hénault-Ethier carved out a place for herself among the best snowboarders in North America at the turn of the 2000s. bus or plane ticket. I went several times to the United States, but also to Brazil, in big international competitions. »
Her great accomplice and friend Annie Guglia, with whom she was part of the women’s collective Les Skirtboarders 15 years ago, became the first Canadian snowboarder to participate in the Olympic Games, in 2021, in Tokyo. Louise Hénault-Ethier was the official analyst of skateboarding events at Radio-Canada during these Games. It was also the first time that the skateboarding was presented at the Olympics. “I had dreamed of going to the Olympics, I lived it a bit vicariously with Annie. I’ve known her since she was very young, she explains. It was a very moving moment. »
After rolling, science
Following a sabbatical year filled with skateboarding and adventures, she began her university studies in biology, a field that has always “called” her. “At the age of five, I learned that a biologist studied everything that is alive… It was obvious that I wanted to do that, she recalls. It was a bit of a childish way of thinking, but I wanted to save the planet. »
At Concordia University, she stood out for her involvement in student life. Passionate about insects, the biologist has notably set up a vermicomposting system which has been a huge success.
After completing doctoral studies on the use of pesticides, Louise Hénault-Ethier joined the David Suzuki Foundation as head of scientific projects, an extremely instructive position. “I had a lot of fun working on big files,” she says. In particular, we helped lay the foundations for a complete overhaul of the recovery system in Quebec… a small revolution,” she says, modestly recalling that it’s a team effort.
At the same time, she embarked on scientific entrepreneurship with Tricycle, a Montreal farm that breeds edible insects.
A cure for eco-anxiety
This constant search for solutions to environmental problems is, by his own admission, a way of managing his eco-anxiety, which has always inhabited him. “I remember putting on a play with my cousin at my grandmother’s house; we had drawn a background with pollution and dead trees, she recalls wistfully. We wore masks because the air was no longer breathable and we said we wanted to save our doggies [rires]. »
Through her school and professional projects, which all have the common point of wanting to get things done, she says she wants to channel her energies in the right place. “My place is in the scientific aspect, in the search for solutions and in the transmission of information, she assures. These are all ways to manage this anxiety. »
However, the mother of two children aged 10 and 13 admits that she cannot control everything. Seeing his children suffer from eco-anxiety “breaks his heart”. “I feel somewhat responsible because I certainly talk a lot about environmental issues,” she admits. Right now I really have to be careful. My youngest told me that it kept him awake at night, he thinks about climate change and animals dying. »
Paving the way for other women
Louise Hénault-Ethier’s multidisciplinary career led her to INRS in April 2021. At the age of 40, she then became the first female director of the Center Eau Terre Environnement.
When asked to comment on gender parity in science, the associate professor raises her eyebrows with a smile. “In my faculty, when I took office, there were 5 women out of 36 people, she drops before taking a break. And that is in the environment, a favorite subject for women. »
According to Louise Hénault-Ethier, the issues of representativeness in the field of research and science are still very present. “There is still a glass ceiling syndrome, women rely on fewer role models,” she explains. Also, women have more responsibilities at home, despite advancements in this area. There is an uneven mental load. »
With her management position at INRS, Louise Hénault-Ethier, as she has done since the beginning of her scientific career, wants to be part of the solution. “I try to be attentive and encourage initiatives that go in this direction. It’s a long-term job that is progressing gradually. Women have a complementary way of seeing the world, but to make that contribution, we have to make room for them. »
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the Duty, relating to marketing. The drafting of Duty did not take part.