At Children’s Medical Research Institute, we celebrated International Women’s Day and NSW Women’s Week 2022 by hearing from our own scientists about why they were inspired to join such a challenging profession and to share the path they took to entering the lab.
The Women in STEM Seminar Series was held over three days and was officially opened by NSW Minister for Women, Regional Health, and Mental Health, The Honourable Bronnie Taylor MLC, who is a former cancer nurse and a long-term supporter of CMRI and medical research and who said to the audience she was in “awe’’ of the work done at CMRI.
“It is just terrific to be back here and to see the work that happens, feel the energy and know the difference that places like this make,’’ Ms Taylor said. “And that's why it's so important on International Women's Day to be having an event like this in terms of promoting women in STEM. I just wanted to say to everyone to please remember, as women in STEM, women who work here, women who are involved with this, please tell your stories. Please make sure that you say that so younger women can see what you've done to be inspired by you. But most of all, to know that it's possible, and know that the incredible rewards that come from a career in STEM, the life changing rewards that come it's so important.’’
The three speakers over the week were Dr Anai Gonzalez Cordero, Dr Kate Mullany and Dr Lorel Colgin. While all three were united over sharing a passion of science at high school – they spoke about the different paths they took.
Dr Gonzalez Cordero moved from Brazil to England to study, financing her university education by waiting tables and working as a cleaner but said the experience made her resilient.
Dr Colgin spent 20 years as a cancer researcher before becoming CMRI’s Head of Marketing as a different way to help her fellow scientists achieve their goals and to educate the public about the importance of investing in science.
Dr Mullany started out as a medical doctor, but after becoming frustrated at not being able to give families the answers they sought about how to help their children with genetic diseases, she moved into research.
“There will be challenges no matter what you do,” Dr Mullany said, “not just because you're a woman, because if you want to do something good, it's always going to be a bit of a challenge. So I just encourage everyone – just do it.’’
Find our recording of each seminar below.