Women in Research

With its unique natural resources, Australia could play a significant role in the global aerospace industry. The potential of the local industry has received a significant boost with the presence of Professor Xinhua Wu at Monash University. Xinhua is an established expert who has the attention of the biggest names in aerospace industry and in the podcast she talks about what it's like to collaborate with industry and to stand up for herself in a male-dominated world. Xinhua moved from Europe to Australia to head the ARC Centre for Excellence for Design in Light Metals, a collaboration of six universities and more than 100 researchers. In the podcast, Xinhua talks about her approach to leading a team and the importance of delegation. In the video, Xinhua talks about the importance of having her mentor believe in her at a young age. In her career, colleagues including male colleagues have provided her support to pursue her goals and be successful.

Water is essential for human existence, indeed for life’s beginning. The deep circulation of water and other fluids lubricates the deep-seated dynamics that keep Earth geologically alive, and its surface habitable.  The ARC Centre of Excellence for Core to Crust Fluid Systems, led by Sue O'Reilly, integrates previously disparate fields - geochemistry, petrophysics, geophysics and numerical and thermodynamical modelling - to reach a new level of understanding of Earth’s dynamics and the fluid cycle(s) through time. In the podcast, Sue provides us a better understanding of the impact of the Centre as well as how she manages her workload and her teams. Sue also talks about how she strives to provide a supportive and family-friendly environment.  Creating positive relationships is central to Sue's success. In the video, she explains the importance of having a mentor, being a good contributor to a team environment and having effective interpersonal skills to flourish in academia. As a child, Sue was greatly influenced by her father who was an amazing, self-taught natural scientist. He instilled in her the love of observation, thinking, sorting out 'why' and today she is inspiring the next generation of scientists to connect with people and make a difference.

With the popularity of fresh salads, smoothies and other healthy products, Australians are consuming increasingly more fruit and vegetables raw. Unfortunately, sometimes our produce can become contaminated with food-borne illness pathogens, such as salmonella, listeria or e-coli, which is problematic for the community as well as the industry. As the Director of the ARC Training Centre for Food Safety in the Fresh Produce Industry, Robyn McConchie leads a team that conducts industry-focused research to develop practical solutions to prevent or minimise food safety risks in fresh produce across the value chain. In the podcast, she talks about the benefits of collaborating with industry and the tremendous impact her work has had. Her Centre also trains the next generation of food safety researchers and in the video, Robyn provides wise advice to early-career researchers around time management, resilience and prioritisation. Today, Robyn only engages in activities that are directly related to her field or mentorship-type of activities. Working in a field that is male-dominated inspires Robyn to advocate for women and create opportunities for them. In the video, Robyn openly talks about challenges faced by women in academia and offers some suggestions on what can be done at an institutional level to support women better.

Her English teacher at school predicted that Margaret would be most engaged with something between social sciences and humanities. Knowing where she is today, this prediction was quite prescient. Margaret went to the University of Sydney to study English literature and history but she fell in love with anthropology in her first semester. Today, Margaret is a leader in the anthropology profession, who has written extensively on gender in the Pacific, on exploratory voyages and travel writing, missions and contemporary Christianity, maternity and sexuality, cinema and art. ​ In the video, you will get to know Margaret and hear some of the intimate and meaningful stories that have defined her career. She also touches on the cultural change required to foster academic productivity and quality. Since her undergraduate days, Margaret has been a strong advocate of gender equity and you can listen to her views on what can be done institutionally to account for the fact that men and women generally have very different lives and carer responsibilities.

Despite being one of the smallest producers of rice, Australia is one of the largest rice traders in the world. And it is questions of the quality of rice, both within Australia and internationally, that informs food scientist Professor Melissa Fitzgerald’s research. Driven to conduct applied research that can positively impact people’s lives and be meaningful for industry, Melissa has held a variety of academic and industry roles, including Head of Rice Quality and Evaluating at the International Rice Research Institute, Director of the ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre on Transforming the Food Industry for Australia, Asia and beyond, and holding the Australian Food and Grocery Council Chair in Food Science and Technology in the University of Queensland’s School of Agriculture and Food Sciences. In order to succeed in these diverse roles, Melissa has had to develop effective leadership strategies, and she reflects on her experiences as a leader in the podcast. Melissa’s interest in industry and undertaking research that matters has also impacted her approach to equipping her students with the necessary skills to enter industry work-ready, and Melissa explains how she supports such learning within the podcast. The podcast and video both see Melissa engage thoughtfully with questions of gender in the sciences and academia more broadly, particularly in terms of what women need in order to succeed. Linked to this analysis, in the podcast Melissa offers an insightful explanation of unconscious bias, and how we can conceptualise its impact within the individual.

There's no doubt Nanda was destined to pursue a career in science. At a time in India, where high-achieving students would study science just because that's what 'clever' students did, Nanda and her parents saw that there was more to science than just status. More importantly, science suited Nanda's strengths and innate interests. As you can tell from the video, Nanda has many stereotypes to overcome when strangers ask her about her job. These misconceptions are associated with the disciplines she deals with, namely nuclear physics, but also the fact that she is a woman in a male-dominated field. In the podcast, Nanda talks about how her father and other male mentors and colleagues have truly made a difference in her career to be successful. Nanda was the first woman to be tenured in the Research School of Physics and Engineering at the Australian National University. Nanda has a very optimistic approach to writing an application for a grant, which she shares in the podcast. As part of her Laureate, Nanda has undertaken a number of activities in support of increasing the profile of women in science. The outreach activities have spanned high school students through to supporting workshops involving teachers, early career researchers and senior women. In 2017, Nanda together with Laureate Professor Nalini Joshi, initiated and developed the Mentoring and Guidance in Careers Workshop for early career women and gender diverse researchers in science. This workshop, held annually, explores the many facets of forging a career in academic, government or industry settings, and discusses the building blocks for success and resilience.

Professor Lorraine Mazerolle has had a long and distinguished career in the field of criminology. Working particularly in the areas of policing, crime prevention and regulatory crime control, Lorraine has partnered with various police agencies in Queensland and New South Wales, as well as schools with high-risk students. Her Laureate research in particular, focussed on third-party policing, and the ways that partnering the police with schools in targeted ways can serve to reduce truancy, and divert troubled youths away from the justice system. Lorraine’s achievements and contributions have most recently been acknowledged by the peak body in her field, The American Society of Criminology, who have recently awarded Lorraine the Sellin-Glueck Award, and welcomed her as elected fellow of the Society. Working with industry partners throughout her career, Lorraine has plenty of experience with negotiating, and she explains her approach to negotiating within the video. Lorraine also describes the centrality of creativity and innovation to her research, a discussion which demonstrates her passion for both her area of expertise, and the process of researching. A keen athlete, Lorraine has also recently taken up golf, an activity she makes time for at least once a week. This focus on physical and mental wellbeing is something Lorraine reflects on at length in the podcast, as well as the importance of maintaining strong boundaries between work and home life.

Lesley Head is a geographer who wants to understand how humans have physically changed earth’s systems, how we think about our place in nature, and how these two things are connected. In the podcast, Lesley reminisces on how having young children helped her manage her time effectively. Having a demanding career requires support, resilience and discipline and in the podcast, Lesley shares how these have contributed to her success. After many years at the University of Wollongong, where she became an ARC Laureate Fellow, Lesley moved to The University of Melbourne where she became the Head of the new School of Geography. In the podcast, she reflects on being a female leader and why it took her a while to apply for promotions and leadership roles. ​ In the video, Lesley talks about the impact of her and she also shares some encouraging thoughts on career progression for women in academia.

Almost every minute, one child in Africa dies from malaria. Around the world, the mosquito-borne parasite kills about 450,000 people each year, most of them children and pregnant women, while another 200 million people suffer illness as a result of malaria infections. Based in Bio21 Institute at the University of Melbourne, the Tilley lab led by Professor Leann Tilley is working as part of a global effort to understand and control malaria. Her lab investigates the basic biology of the parasite and action of and resistance to antimalarial drugs, with a view to designing better drugs. In our podcast, Leann explains how cross-disciplinary collaboration is a key to the success of her lab. She is assisted by collaborations with experts from other disciplines, ranging from molecular parasitologists to organic chemists to biomechanical engineers and optical physicists. As a Georgina Sweet Fellow, Leann is committed to supporting women through the Awards for Women in Quantitative Biomedical Science. You can listen to her thoughts about what the ARC could do to increase the number of women Laureates and Centre Directors. Leann reflects on the attributes of an effective and successful academic in the video.

For Professor Kerrie Wilson, effective environmental policy needs to benefit both the environment and the people who live within it. As a result of undertaking her postgraduate research at both Cambridge University and in South America, Kerrie’s perspective as an environmental scientist is strongly interdisciplinary, which has equipped her to assume multiple leadership positions in this field – both within and outside of academia. Most recently, Kerrie has been awarded an ARC Future Fellowship at the University of Queensland, and from 2017-2018 was the Director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions (CEED). The Centre’s focus on environmental management and monitoring in order to facilitate improved conservation outcomes aligned closely with Kerrie’s own research interests, which include engaging with issues of resource allocation and quantifying the benefits of investing in conservation efforts. Kerrie’s research is highly significant as environmental futures become increasingly uncertain, and she reflects on the importance of being able to articulate the impact of one’s research in the video. Partnering with industry throughout her career has also helped Kerrie develop effective time management skills, and she explains these strategies within the podcast. Within the podcast and the video, Kerrie also considers the role that networking and sponsorship plays in allowing women to combat entrenched inequalities within the academy, and reflects on how her relationships with senior women have helped her succeed.

The acquisition of language for a child is a fascinating process which Katherine has been researching as part of her Laureate. Much of her work is cross-linguistic, using insights from the structure of different languages to better understand how children learn how to talk. Having children as research participants has its challenges and in the podcast, Katherine talks about how the Laureate enables her to have resources to recruit participants. To get to where she is today, Katherine had to stand up for herself and prioritise what mattered to her. In the podcast, Katherine shares how her discipline in time management and saying 'no' are key factors to her success in academia. Some mentors, being curious and the desire to understand have also been motivating drivers in her career. Katherine's enthusiasm for her career is obvious and in the video, she shares why she loves her job but also some lessons she's learned along the way. Some advice she has for early-career researchers include the importance of persevering to cope with a challenging career punctuated with trials and errors as well as rejection. Katherine urges young academics to do what's fun and to work with people who are fun to work with.

A social psychologist interested in the factors needed to promote successful adjustment of collective-level change, Professor Jolanda Jetten is one of the most recent awardees of the ARC Laureate Fellowship. Given the increasing social and political divisions within different communities around the world, Jolanda’s research has important ramifications for how social change can most effectively be negotiated, on a personal, collective and policy level. Jolanda is also a fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, and has previously been awarded an ARC Future Fellowship. As a Professor of Social Psychology, Jolanda is particularly interested in challenging the expectations of persistent overtime and supporting her colleagues in achieving a more manageable work/life balance, and she explores this at length in the podcast. In the video, Jolanda explains why she values leaders who place listening at the centre of their management style. Jolanda also offers strategies for younger academics in the podcast; she explains how to network effectively with more senior academics, and also encourages young academics to focus more on whether their skills and research history aligns with the direction of a particular research role, rather than whether their resume is extensive enough.

Trauma is an experience that is hard to process cognitively and put into words. Initially, Jill Bennett did a lot of work on the use of visual imagery and aesthetic techniques for describing and communicating that experience. Her research had many different outputs, theoretical and practical in terms of workshops and exhibition outputs. ​ Jill's trans-disciplinary approach to her research enables her to work with artists and cognitive neuro-psychologists for example, when she works on the translation of the lived experienced of people with mental health or neurological conditions. In the podcast, you can hear Jill's capturing thoughts about engaging with community and also the practice of empathy as a social process. As you will see in the video, Jill strives to develop organisational models to enable collaborations and people. She was the first in her family to attend university and it is rewarding for Jill to create pathways for others in academia today. In the podcast, Jill humorously opens up about the challenges of motherhood and she shares how being a mother taught her to be a multi-tasker. Jill provides a very honest and refreshing perspective on the compromises she has made in her career and also as a mum which many may relate to.

Professor Jennifer Martin, AC is an internationally renowned protein crystallographer and structural biologist, whose significant contributions to these fields and advocacy in the area of gender equality in STEMM has recently seen her awarded a Companion of the Order of Australia. A founding member of the SAGE Steering Committee, that established the Athena SWAN pilot program, Jennifer was the Director of the Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery at Griffith University when interviewed. She has recently been recruited to the position of Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) at the University of Wollongong. Jennifer is also the current President of the Asian Crystallographic Association and a member of the International Union of Crystallography Executive Committee, an elected Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science. Engaged with questions of antibiotic resistance and the possibilities of disabling rather than killing bacteria, Jennifer’s work is of critical significance internationally, as the antibiotics developed in the 1940s are increasingly unable to effectively treat infections caused by pathogenic superbugs. In the podcast, Jennifer reflects on her career successes, attributing much of this success to the networks and relationships she has cultivated throughout her career. Jennifer also explains the importance of knowing yourself and your own needs in the podcast, in order to use your time and energy most effectively. Acknowledging that gender inequality continues in the academy, in the video Jennifer offers an explanation as to why this inequality is so entrenched; she also explains her strategies for exerting influence in order to effect change.

Professor Janeen Baxter is the Director of the Australian Research Council Centre for Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course, which is administered by the Institute for Social Science Research. Janeen has a long and illustrious career in this field, as not only is she a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia and a former member of the Academy’s Executive Committee, but Janeen is also a former Chair of the Social, Behavioural and Economic Sciences panel for the ARC College of Experts. Janeen’s research dovetails neatly with the concerns of the Centre, as she is particularly interested in the ways that family dynamics impact life course pathways and wellbeing. Such research has significant policy ramifications, as indicated by the relationship between the Centre and several government departments, and especially the Commonwealth Department of Social Services. In the podcast, Janeen reflects on the way her love of a challenge has contributed to her success in her career, and led her to the opportunities mentioned above. Recognising the increasing difficulties facing Early Career Researchers in developing their careers, in the video Janeen explains the usefulness of collaborating and moving outside of your immediate research interests in order to both network more effectively, and to create your own opportunities. In the podcast Janeen offers advice for more senior academics, particularly on how to ensure cohesiveness within much larger research projects.

When she left Australia to further her law studies in the US, Hilary Charlesworth thought she would "just go for the bar" but little did she know her rich experience at Harvard Law School would inspire her to pursue a career in academia. Hilary's Laureate project focused on a problem endemic to the international human rights system: why are international human rights standards widely accepted in theory but so hard to implement in practice? Although the international community has created a complex and sophisticated system of human rights standards, these principles are regularly sidelined or ignored by countries that have accepted them. ​ Hilary has held both an ARC Federation Fellowship and an ARC Laureate Fellowship and in the podcast, you will have some insights on the skills that enabled her to be productive and successful. In the video, she shares some advice specifically around writing . In the podcast, Hilary also talks about the importance of building a strong network for collaboration as well as support. Hilary has occupied several academic and practitioner positions around the world which have certainly made her career a rich and rewarding journey.

In an era where the narrative counts, historians can change narratives, digging around for evidence and facts that remind us of world’s that have disappeared, or that we are losing, and broadening out the spectrum of discussion, whether about politics, economics, culture or society. Glenda Sluga’s work has established the significance of international history to our understanding of national pasts, and our contemporary global world. Her Laureate is dedicated to recovering the economic dimensions of international political and social life, and to probing the international context of economic thinking and change. In the video, she reflects on the importance of history on a personal and social level. She also talks about writing and how you can improve your own writing with the help of others. For Glenda, it’s important to keep things in perspective: she does it by swimming in the ocean at dawn when she can, and working over coffee in the best beachside café or getting to a ballet class. Glenda thinks these can be the moments when you have your best ideas. Of course, having a daughter who she wants to spend time with also helps with perspective. In the podcast, Glenda talks about managing the demands of her job and having to say ‘no’ to prioritise what matters to her. Glenda also generously shared some thoughts about confidence, juggling family and helping early-career researchers.

After operating for seven years, CAASTRO leaves an exemplary and exemplary legacy, not only for the science but in areas like outreach and gender equity. As CAASTRO Director, Elaine Sadler oversaw a network of over 100 scientists and more than 40 research students across CAASTRO's seven university nodes and eleven Australian and overseas partner institutions. ​ In the video, Elaine talks about how she became an astronomer. She has broad research interests in extragalactic astronomy, and uses both radio and optical telescopes in her research. She will soon have new responsibilities that she was excited to share with us. CAASTRO has really been noticed for their approach to gender equity. We highly recommend watching Elaine talking about how CAASTRO had policies and tools to guide gender equity strategy. The Centre was committed to a family-friendly and flexible working environment to enable female early-career researchers. In the podcast, we also had a chat with Elaine about how she managed to pursue both having a family and an exciting career.

Being awarded the ARC Georgina Sweet Laureate Fellowship in 2018 is the latest in a long line of achievements by Professor Christine Beveridge. Not only is Christine the current President of the International Plant Growth Substances Association, but she is also a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, a Highly Cited Researcher, and the Associate Dean Research and Deputy Executive Dean in the Faculty of Science at The University of Queensland. Performing these diverse roles to a high level requires generous communication, thoughtful delegation, and the maintenance of a strong work-place culture, and Christine reflects on each of these skills within the podcast. ​ Located within the field of Plant Biology, Christine’s Laureate research seeks to discover the genes and processes that govern shoot growth and dormancy in plants. This research has significant benefits for both the horticulture and agriculture industries, as understanding plant growth and dormancy could contribute to more effective crop management, and bring us closer to achieving global food security. ​ Christine’s successful career demonstrates the importance of developing both technical skills and interpersonal skills; in the video, Christine shares her tips on networking, juggling work and life commitments, and managing her team effectively. In the podcast, Christine also reflects on her experiences of successful negotiation, the personal qualities that have aided her success, and the importance of buttressing self-confidence with positive feedback from others within your community.

Being the 2018 Australian of the Year means Michelle Simmons has been significantly more in the spotlight recently. When she's not solicited by the media, Michelle leads a world-leading centre in advanced computer systems. She aims to build a quantum computer able to solve problems in minutes that would otherwise take thousands of years. Such a discovery has the potential to revolutionise drug design, weather forecasting, self-driving vehicles, artificial intelligence and more. Michelle talks about collaborating with industry and competing globally in the podcast. In the podcast, Michelle also shares what helps her remain productive and juggle work and family. Like many women in academia, she is faced with challenges and setbacks but Michelle has a very inspiring approach to communication and making mistakes that certainly contributes to her success. As a strong advocate for diversity, Michelle enjoys inspiring more women and girls to dream big and pursue science and quantum physics. In the podcast, Michelle reflects on mentoring women, building confidence and not holding back.

It's the storytelling qualities of her mother that ignited Joy's passion for history. As a child of Greek post-war immigrants, she enjoys her mother's tales of historical events in Greece. As part of her Laureate, Joy leads a team who is researching how things can be improved for child refugees in Australia and what lessons we can learn from the past. In the video, you will appreciate Joy's encouraging insights on her progressively-built resilience and how she copes with rejection today. ​ Joy is also a strong advocate for gender equity in higher education and in the podcast, she shares her views on what universities can do to support women. Joy values the importance of support, mental health and home/work balance to be a successful academic, and makes interesting points about this in the podcast.

Lisa Kewley became interested in astronomy after her parents in South Australia encouraged engagement with the sciences and she was influenced by a high school physics teachers and participation in school stargazing camp. Lisa is particularly aware of the under-representation of women in the STEM and you can listen to her talking about how she enjoys encouraging young girls to pursue exciting careers in science. She spent her early career as a Research Fellow in the USA where she received respectable accolades and started a family. In the podcast, Lisa openly talks about the challenges of her early career and juggling family and work. At the ARC Centre of Excellence for All-sky Astrophysics in 3D, Lisa and her team set ambitious goals to have 50% of women at all levels. In the video, she shares her thoughts on gender equity and on what institutions can do to enable female academics. The challenges Lisa encountered throughout her career helped her build her confidence to cope with rejections and setbacks and be the successful leader she is today.

It's while working in London shortly after obtaining her undergraduate degree that Tessa was suggested to go to Japan to teach English. Tessa spontaneously took on the challenge and embarked on an adventure that saw the origins of her passion for Japan and its history. Tessa has long been fascinated by how in Japan, there is a big divide between the state level of politics with one almost unshakable dominating party and grassroots movements where "all sorts of amazingly interesting things happen, with people doing quite remarkable things in their own little community, which we don't really hear about". Grassroots politics in Japan and other places in Asia is a topic that she enjoys researching with her team. Tessa wasn't predestined to become an academic and in the video, Tessa shares her journey from a challenging time studying her undergraduate degree to becoming an ARC Laureate Fellow and later a Fukuoka Prize winner for her respected work linked to different parts of Asia. You can listen to Tessa openly talk about how she learned from her mistakes and how being bold made a difference in her career. Tessa recognises the high demands placed on academics nowadays and in the podcast, Tessa reflects on her own challenges earlier in her career and imparts tips to young female academics.

"Gentlemen and Branka..." For quite a while, Branka Vucetic was the only female in her faculty but she remembers humorously how the staff was addressed at the beginning of a meeting. Fortunately, things have changed and there are now significantly more women in Engineering. In the video, you will hear Branka talk about how she managed being a female in a male-dominated area. As part of her Georgina Sweet ambassadorial role, Branka created a program of activities that supported the promotion of STEM education in Australia at high schools and universities. She talks more in depth about these well-received initiatives in the podcast. ​ In the video, Branka shares some advice for young academics about what helped her be successful. She identified mentoring and networking as key factors to help you do well in academia. Branka also really values the importance of having hobbies to achieve the 'balance' that enables her to have perspective and a break to be the best she can be at work. "We have many talents. [...]It would be good to pursue any other talents rather than the main one, which is our profession." - BV