Category: Professional development

Grants put women at the forefront of paediatric health research

October 22, 2020

Four outstanding Queensland women have been awarded almost $200,000 by the Children’s Hospital Foundation to help work wonders in the field of paediatric research. The Mary McConnel grant program, first launched on International Women’s Day in 2018, aims to support women researchers to increase delivery and dissemination of research, thereby boosting the researcher’s track record … More Grants put women at the forefront of paediatric health research

Thriving in the male-dominated logistics & freight transportation industry

September 26, 2020

Prior to my PhD, I worked for over nine years as a Civil and Transport Engineer in various workplaces such as construction sites, consulting companies, and government agencies in Iran. When I started my PhD, here in Australia, I never imagined that it would be even harder to be a woman researcher, particularly in the … More Thriving in the male-dominated logistics & freight transportation industry

A post-doctoral scientist’s 5-step guide for emerging women scientists

December 21, 2018

Dream. Do. Role models. Self-confidence. Share. I love science and at a young age I’ve always dreamed to go behind the scenes of the life of a researcher. It wasn’t until I was given a great opportunity to join a one-year work experience program at either an academic or private institute, which was offered during … More A post-doctoral scientist’s 5-step guide for emerging women scientists

Once you’ve left can you really break back in?

December 5, 2018

International mobility is regarded as a critical step in career progression for a successful researcher. I spent 10 years establishing a career, completing a PhD at University College London followed by postdoctoral training at the University of Edinburgh. I had a strong and diverse scientific network in the UK, Europe, and America, yet upon returning … More Once you’ve left can you really break back in?

Women in the rational world of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)

November 6, 2018

I was speaking to my friend’s daughter aged 7 and she asked me, ‘What do you do? I replied I am a Scientist/Engineer. With so much surprise and disbelief, she said, ‘That’s not true and can’t be…’ Taken aback, I asked her ‘why are you so sure?’ Then in response she replied, ‘because most of … More Women in the rational world of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)

Pursuing the Dream of a Career in Engineering

May 12, 2018

At 11:05am on Monday 12th August, my phone rang. Palo Alto, CA, United States – the location of the caller – this is it… Butterflies in my stomach, I steadied my hand enough to swipe to answer. “Hello, Brooke speaking?” The start of a life-changing phone call. John Hennessy, co-founder of the scholarship and former … More Pursuing the Dream of a Career in Engineering

The Art of Negotiation

April 25, 2018

I am often asked to discuss negotiation tips and traps that I have learned during my journey from post-doctoral scientist to Vice President Corporate Strategy and Business Development at Certara. Is it really 30 years since I finished my PhD? Negotiation is analogous to a game of chess, where experts plan several moves ahead and … More The Art of Negotiation