Speaker:
Dr John van Wyhe

Availability:
Upon request

Synopsis:
In the 1840s it was considered utterly impossible for a woman to travel alone. Modern tourism had not yet emerged. Despite all this, one woman decided to go her own way anyway. Ida Pfeiffer (1797–1858) was the first woman to travel and then circle the world alone. She displayed incredible courage and perseverance. She survived storms at sea, parched deserts, plague, malaria, a near-drowning, earthquakes, robbers, murderers, head-hunters, and cannibals. Singapore and Southeast Asia were perhaps her favourite destinations. Throughout her travels she collected plants and animals to sell to museums and collectors. This not only helped finance her travels but made a serious contribution to science. She discovered thousands of new species and many were named after her. This shows that anyone, even without formal training, can contribute to science.

For enquiries, please contact:

Mr Ambert Ang
Phone: +65  65162711
Email: DBS_outreach@nus.edu.sg