A loss for science education

Stuff reports:

The directors of Nanogirl Labs have said the decision to appoint a liquidator for their company last year was devastating.

“We poured our hearts and souls into our business, we believed profoundly in the mission (and still do), and having that ultimately fail was incredibly difficult,” co-founders Joe Davis and Michelle Dickinson said in a statement to Stuff.

“Over the years [Nanogirl Labs] inspired thousands of New Zealanders – particularly young people – to embrace science, technology, engineering and maths. … We are incredibly proud of what the business achieved.“

The business went into liquidation in November last year owing Inland Revenue more than $265,000 in unpaid GST and PAYE, and nearly $200,000 to other unsecured creditors.

I was very sad to read that Nanogirl Labs went into liquidation – both for the principals, and the creditors. It is easy to say from afar that one should have closed down a business the moment it becomes unprofitable, but the reality is that many businesses have cashflow challenges and are constantly having to juggle creditors. Some make it through, but others do not. Being unable to pay your PAYE though should ring warning bells though, as that is money held in trust on behalf of employees.

“We are deeply saddened by this outcome, and understand the impact it has had on creditors and others connected with the business,” Davis and Dickinson said.

That’s good to have acknowledged. I know Michelle and Joe, and they are good people. That is not to say you can’t be critical of their business decisions, but I don’t think either were motivated by money in this business venture. Sir Ian Taylor has a nice take on it:

I’ve known Michelle for years. I’ve seen her walk into rooms full of young kids, many of whom had never met a scientist, and light up their imaginations with science made simple, fun, and real.

On her, a lab coat looked different. It wasn’t a symbol of authority; it was an invitation. It told kids that science wasn’t something to fear, it was something to play with, to explore, to enjoy. She didn’t need a whiteboard or a lecture hall. Just a box of household items, a bit of curiosity, and her unshakeable belief that every child, no matter their background, deserves access to the tools of discovery.

With her partner Joe Davis she built Nanogirl Labs to make that belief real.

From theatre shows and school assemblies to hands-on STEM kits, Michelle has shown up for our tamariki. Not once or twice, but relentlessly, for nearly a decade. She’s given thousands of kids their first experience of science. For many, she was the first person who told them, “Yes, you can be a scientist too.”

And for young girls, she offered something even more powerful: representation. Someone who looked like them, spoke like them, and showed them they didn’t have to change to belong in science. That matters more than most people realise.

Role models don’t just inspire, they shift what kids believe is possible. Michelle made science human. And fun. And possible.

Michelle is a brilliant scientist. She could have worked commercially for a massive salary for science entrepreneurs like Richard Branson, but her passion was bringing science to kids.

Sir Ian notes:

Even with the revenue gone and bookings cancelled, she paid her staff using personal reserves. She and her partner Joe didn’t take salaries. They sold what they could. They held on. But when there was nothing left to hold on with, she was forced to make the decision that so many others had to make because of covid.

The failure of Nanogirl Labs is painful – for the principals, staff and creditors. I do hope though that it doesn’t mark the end of Michelle’s contribution to science in New Zealand.