‘You can’t be what you can’t see’: Trailblazing leaders from AbbVie and Research Australia deep dive into the next generation of women in science

In celebration of the International Day for Women’s and Girls in Science, Nathalie McNeil, Vice President and General Manger at AbbVie ANZ, and Lucy Clynes, General Manager at Research Australia joined Health Industry Hub to deep dive into the next generation of women in science.

Current trends indicate that female students in year 12 are almost at par with males in studying science and maths, and more than a third of STEM students at university are women. Yet, women in STEM-qualified careers represent only 15% – compared to 10% two decades ago.

Addressing the concerning gender inequity and gender pay gap in STEM careers, the interview delved into the root causes.

“You can’t be what you can’t see. Reimagining workplaces as diverse and gender friendly is really important,” Ms Clynes emphasised.

The discussion expanded to the challenges faced by women in science, including the burden of caregiving responsibilities, and the persistent issue of imposter syndrome.

The conversation transitioned to the Future Health Leaders Program, a collaboration between AbbVie and Research Australia that aims to expose young women to the diverse careers in health and medical research, providing mentorship and connections to establish women in science careers.

“It is how we share and profile the wide and varied roles so our school aged girls know that a career in science and healthcare is viable, interesting and leads to great success. More importantly, how it is an incredible contributor to the community within which we live,” stated Ms McNeil.

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