Request For The American Girl: Add A Paleontologist to the Historical Collection

Why American Girl Should Add a Historical Girl Doll That is a Paleontologist

Introduction
American Girl's popular line of 18-inch dolls portrays girls of various ethnicities, faiths, and social classes from different periods throughout history. Each Historical charter doll comes with a book that tells her story from her perspective and reflects the historical context of her era. The dolls aim to inspire girls to learn about history, culture, and diversity, as well as to develop their own identities and values.

One of the gaps in the current collection of historical dolls is the representation of girls who are interested in science, especially paleontology. Paleontology is the study of fossils and ancient life forms, such as dinosaurs, plants, and microorganisms. Paleontology is a fascinating and important field that helps us understand the history of life on Earth, species' evolution, and environmental changes effects.

Science fields such as Paleontology suffer from a lack of visible role models, support, and a public misperception of what a scientist looks like. When a child is asked to draw a scientist, they typically draw a white man in a white lab coat and don't see themselves that way. Due to this, by age 15, most girls step away from their love of science. Our workforce reflects this, with less than 25% of our STEM workers being women and less than 16% representation in STEM leadership positions.

Adding a historical girl doll that is a paleontologist would be a great way to introduce girls to this exciting and relevant science, as well as showcase the achievements and challenges of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields throughout history. In this white paper, I will present some reasons why American Girl should create such a doll, as well as some possible ideas for her character, story, and accessories.

Reasons to Create a Paleontologist Doll
• Paleontology is appealing to many girls. Many girls are fascinated by dinosaurs and other prehistoric creatures and enjoy learning about their names, features, behaviors, and habitats, but are faced with a lack of role model representation. A paleontologist doll would tap into this natural curiosity and enthusiasm and encourage girls to explore more about the science behind these amazing animals.

• Paleontology is educational and relevant. Paleontology is about studying fossils and applying scientific methods, such as observation, measurement, classification, analysis, and interpretation. A paleontologist doll would help girls develop their critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and appreciation for evidence-based knowledge. Moreover, paleontology is related to many contemporary issues, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, conservation, and human origins. A paleontologist doll would help girls understand the connections between the past and the present and the implications for the future.

• Paleontology is diverse and inclusive. Paleontology is a multidisciplinary field incorporating aspects of biology, geology, chemistry, physics, and more. A paleontologist doll would expose girls to the variety and richness of scientific disciplines and inspire them to pursue their interests and passions. Furthermore, paleontology is a global field that involves collaboration among researchers from different countries and cultures. A paleontologist doll would reflect the diversity and inclusivity of science and promote cross-cultural awareness and respect.

• Paleontology is empowering for women. Women have significantly contributed to paleontology since its inception in the 18th century. Some notable examples are Mary Anning (1799-1847), who discovered many fossils of marine reptiles in England; Elizabeth Philpot (1780-1857), who collaborated with Anning and specialized in fossil fish; Mary Leakey (1913-1996), who found evidence of early human ancestors in Africa; Zofia Kielan-Jaworowska (1925-2015), who led expeditions to Mongolia and discovered many fossils of mammals; Mae Jemison (1956-present), who was the first African-American woman astronaut and also studied fossil plants; and Jingmai O'Connor (1982-present), who is a leading expert on fossil birds in China. A paleontologist doll would celebrate these women's achievements and inspire girls to follow their footsteps.

Ideas for a Paleontologist Doll
Based on the reasons above, I suggest that American Girl create a historical girl doll that is a paleontologist in the late 19th or early 20th century. This was a period of rapid development and discovery in paleontology,
as well as social change and progress for women. Here are some possible ideas for her character, story, and accessories:

• Character: The character could be named ShelbyMae with long brown hair and dark brown eyes. She could be from a Caucasian and Filipino middle-class family that values education and supports her interest in science. She could be adventurous, curious, intelligent, and independent.

• Story: Her story could involve her finding fossils near her home or on a family trip; visiting a museum or a university where she meets a female paleontologist mentor; joining an expedition to dig for fossils in another state or country; facing challenges or discrimination from male scientists or society; publishing her findings or presenting them at a conference; making friends with other girls who share her passion or curiosity.

• Accessories: Her accessories could include things like a fossil collection, a magnifying glass, a notebook, a map, a compass, a hammer, a chisel, a brush, a hat, a backpack, a camera, a journal, a newspaper article, a book, or a medal.

Adding dinosaur-themed clothing and accessories to the Truly Me collection is another step to help close the misperception gap. Girls who love dinosaurs are often relegated to finding items in the "boy" department. Adding a dinosaur and science-themed clothing option to the American Girl collection helps alleviate the stigma that all dinosaurs are for boys, opening the door to acceptance across genders.

Conclusion
In conclusion, American Girl should add a historical girl doll that is a paleontologist to their collection. This unique and attractive doll would appeal to many girls who love dinosaurs and science. It would also be an educational and empowering doll to teach girls about paleontology, history, culture, and diversity. I hope that American Girl will consider this proposal and create a paleontologist doll to inspire girls to explore the past and shape the future.