By Nefertiti Greene, President, Science & Diagnostics, Mars Petcare
In the run up to the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, I’ve been reflecting on how we better encourage more girls and women to pursue education and career paths in this field.
And, as I think about it, I realize that opportunities to make STEM careers approachable start really early. I’ve loved science all my life. Back in high school, I decided to study biology and chemistry, mostly thanks to my amazing biology teacher. She was an outstanding woman not only because she made science and learning fun, but because she helped me understand that, at the end of the day, everything harkens back to science and technology.
I’ve been fortunate enough to be surrounded by mentors and colleagues who’ve supported me: from my first job in basic science and lab research at a small biotech company, to my next job monitoring clinical trials, and ultimately to my first commercial role. One of my favorite mentors was an ally at a time when women in STEM-related fields were heavily underrepresented. He was the one who supported me as I took one of the biggest risks in my career: transitioning from clinical research to a commercial role. He also took a risk and encouraged me to pursue the challenge, which is what it takes to be a great mentor and leader.
Today, I feel lucky to be part of an organization where so many women are passionately driving science and tech to help pets live their healthiest lives. I've been so impressed by the many women in science, data, technology and R&D leadership that I've been able to work with since I joined last year.
While there’s been considerable progress since I first started working, there’s still a lot of work to do to achieve true equity in STEM in terms of gender representation – both in support as well as in leadership roles across R&D or tech organizations. Only a third of researchers worldwide are women(Opens a new window), according to UNESCO figures. In innovative fields such as artificial intelligence, only one in five professionals (22%) is a woman(Opens a new window). Despite a shortage of skilled workers in most STEM fields, only 28% of engineering graduates and 40% of graduates in computer science and informatics are women(Opens a new window).
Looking back at my own journey and from my learnings, I know there are ways to get to equal representation, and efforts we can make today to encourage diversity in STEM environments:
- First of all, I believe it’s essential that those of us in the STEM field already should be accountable for encouraging young women and girls in our networks to pursue education and science and technology from an early age. It’s essential because we want tomorrow’s doctors, veterinary professionals, or tech innovators to reflect the communities they serve and feel empowered to do their best work and make a difference no matter which STEM field they’re in.
- Secondly, I would encourage leaders to be intentional about the makeup of their teams and organizations, slow down, take a step back and bring in diverse perspectives into their business and teams. I always say follow the science and there are many studies that show diverse teams can lead to better data(Opens a new window), more impactful science(Opens a new window), and ultimately, better products(Opens a new window) and solutions.
- Thirdly - and probably most importantly – we need to help women build confidence. A recent survey found women must prove themselves time and time again(Opens a new window) before they take up leadership positions. They work harder and longer to get there. This fact can easily become embedded in our thinking and lead to unconscious bias. We need to tell them that they are enough. As mentors, allies or simply as leaders – we need to encourage women in STEM to pursue the right company or the right environment that rewards them and recognizes them for the value they bring to the table. And let’s hold our organizations accountable for being a place that prioritizes an inclusive, welcoming environment for all talent, so women can thrive and be their best selves.
So, to the brilliant female Associates in Mars Petcare and across Mars, I say: you are enough. You have an incredible support system at Mars and our aim as leaders is to help you advance in your career in a mutual way. Be passionate about what you do to bring about new scientific breakthroughs and new tech that can help support veterinary professionals and pet owners and add more healthy years to our pets’ lives. And don’t forget to have fun while you’re doing it!
