Saturday 11 February 2023

To celebrate International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we asked some of our very own women in science at Austin Health to share their inspiring career journeys and motivation for science.

Dr Sarah Garner

Sarah Garner is a Medical Microbiologist and Infectious Diseases Physician at Austin Health. After finishing her dual training at Austin Health in 2014, she came back in a fixed term position last year as a COVID Molecular Pathologist, and has transitioned to a permanent role in microbiology starting in January 2023.

In 2022, Sarah completed a PhD at WEHI in basic science, looking at manipulating cell death pathways to promote clearance of HIV.

When did you decide to pursue a career in science, and what inspired you to do so?

I was interested in science from early on in my teenage years. I grew up in country Victoria and had a wonderful chemistry teacher who became my first mentor. He encouraged me to think big in terms of my career and to consider medicine. I failed at my first attempt to get into the medical course and did a year of biomedical science, gaining a high distinction average before transferring into medicine. Once I set my mind on something, I'm very determined to succeed - a trait that I learnt from my mum. She taught me I could do anything I set my mind to and that has always stayed with me.

What is the most rewarding part of working in science for you?

Science is always changing at a rapid pace and there is rarely a dull moment. I love learning new information and tend to read widely, including outside of my main disciplines. I find the creativity and drive of other scientists inspiring.

What have been the greatest challenges of working in science?

My greatest challenge in the past few years was trying to continue PhD studies whilst balancing clinical work at the height of the COVID crisis. I was very lucky to be working in a lab with a great culture where everyone helped where they could and I felt very well supported.

More generally, there is still a challenge of visibility for women in the top roles in science, especially when seen through an intersectional lens - it's hard to be what you can't see!

Even though we see more women pursuing careers in sciences, we still have a long way to go. What would you tell a young person considering studies in STEM?

Find your role models early and really use them to ask lots of questions about career options, even if you think they are 'silly' questions. Meet regularly.

Balance is crucial for success - find ways to continue hobbies that you love to protect against burnout.

Science is about failing the majority of the time and perhaps waiting years for a breakthrough - it is important to become resilient and to not lose sight of the goal when the inevitable tough times come. I was almost 3 years into my PhD before I had my first significant finding after many failed experiments.

Role models?

Prof Françoise Barré​​​​​​​-Sinoussi: Discovered HIV in the early 80's and won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2008

Prof Sharon Lewin: Inaugural Director of the Peter Doherty Institute, 2022 winner of AAHMS Outstanding Female Researcher Medal and current president of the International AIDS Society

A/Prof Ian Woolley: My inspiration for pursuing Infectious Diseases as a career. Ian was my consultant as a 3rd year medical student at the Alfred. What struck me about the way he practiced was how kind and considerate he was to everyone he came across, and that he really listened to patients. I’m fortunate to have continued to work with Ian since I started ID training in 2010.

Cherie Cheshire

Cherie Cheshire is currently the Divisional Director Cancer & Neurosciences. She has held many positions at Austin Health, starting in Nursing and following a leadership pathway in Neurosciences.

She has also held a variety of roles in the past, including many years in Neurosurgery, and 10 years as a Nurse Unit Manager.

When did you decide to pursue a career in science, and what inspired you to do so?

I commenced my career as a student enrolled nurse in 1989 where I quickly developed a passion for learning and went on to complete a Bachelor of Nursing and Post Graduate Studies in Neurosciences.

I have always been interested in health and biological sciences and find neurosciences to be a particularly fascinating field.

What is the most rewarding part of working in science for you?

In my current role I find it very rewarding to lead incredible teams of professionals across a broad variety of health science environments. Ensuring my people have what they need to provide great care and deliver amazing research is very rewarding. Seeing what we can all achieve in improving patient outcomes is highly motivating.

What have been the greatest challenges of working in science?

Building my career on a nursing background, I was fortunate not to face the challenges many women in other science streams experience. I have also been fortunate to forge my career in an organisation that has embraced diversity well ahead of the pack.

Even though we see more women pursuing careers in sciences, we still have a long way to go. What would you tell a young person considering studies in STEM?

We have come such a long way. I would encourage any young person to aim high and follow their passions. It's exciting that so many doors are opening up to a more diverse workforce in STEM career paths. I have been very fortunate to follow a career path that I will be able to look back on knowing I spent my life doing something I am very passionate about.

Associate Professor Sophie Adams

Sophie Adams is a Consultant Psychiatrist and the Medical Director for the Mental Health Division at Austin Health since the beginning of 2021. She has interests in leadership, clinical governance, youth mental health, neuropsychiatry and consultation liaison psychiatry. Sophie has a systems level focus and an interest in building safe cultures, developing sustainable teams and enabling others. She also has many expertise in the front end of health systems.

Sophie is the wellbeing stream leader for Homeward Bound, a leadership initiative for women in STEMM that undertake a leadership course in Antarctica. Through the program, Sophie has contributed to the development of women in science leadership, and is currently publishing an article on how women can have natural leadership advantages.

When did you decide to pursue a career in science, and what inspired you to do so?

I can’t remember not having an interest in understanding the world and the people around me. I was actively involved in science as a teenager. I had the dubious distinction of being so into it I attended national science camps, met my first boyfriend at one and started a group called the Young Scientists of Australia with him. This group only lasted a few years but taught me a lot about how much energy is required to bring people together for a common cause and motivate them to create things together.

What is the most rewarding part of working in science for you?

As a psychiatrist I am privileged to be able to combine the biological, psychological and social aspects of people, groups and the system to understand how to navigate a complex and unwieldy world full of wicked problems.

The knowledge I have gained over many years is all used every day to problem solve as I make my way through the days’ challenges. No day is quite like another, and no problem is solved the same way. Science has gifted me the novelty of thought and problem solving.

What have been the greatest challenges of working in science?

I think for everyone tolerating uncertainty, the not knowing and the having to work away to understand, even when we don’t know, is the greatest challenge.

For women in science, and also for more diverse groups, there are the added hurdles of fitting into a workplace most aligned with a set of parameters and expectations that have grown in the western world from a very masculine white template. These challenges contribute to the significant drop off of women in more senior roles, and this lack of visible role models makes it harder for younger women to imagine themselves with the agency senior roles bestows.

I think my greatest challenge is being a good enough role model for others, because I want everyone to live humanly flourishing lives.

Even though we see more women pursuing careers in sciences, we still have a long way to go. What would you tell a young person considering studies in STEM?

Think big, travel broadly, take risks and follow your interests. There is more value in the creativity of science and the communication of ideas than is sometimes apparent. Don’t be afraid to try new things.

Ashleigh Jess

Ashleigh Jess is a Research Nurse currently employed by University of Melbourne and is working with the Cardiovascular Research Group based in the Department of Medicine, Lance Townsend Building as the RESILIENCE Trial Nurse.

Ashleigh completed her Postgraduate Certificate in Emergency Nursing and has worked in a wide variety of clinical settings in Australia and the UK.

She has previously completed a Quality Improvement Research Project and Clinical Audit and volunteered in Vanuatu to teach the ‘Emergency Medicine and Life Support Course’ with a team of Austin colleagues. She was also recently awarded the 2022 Nursing Research Award for her presentation on the RESILIENCE trial.

When did you decide to pursue a career in science, and what inspired you to do so?

I began my role as a research nurse in July 2021. I wanted to learn new skills, challenge myself in a new role and further my professional development.

What is the most rewarding part of working in science for you?

Undertaking the position of RESILIENCE trial nurse has been an incredible experience so far. The participants involved in the trial and their appreciation of the study has been very rewarding. I was particularly drawn to the REsilience to Seasonal ILlness and Increased Emergency admissioNs CarE (RESILIENCE) Trial because of its focus on keeping vulnerable patients with chronic heart disease out of hospital and reducing their risk of mortality. This has been very fulfilling to be part of.

What have been the greatest challenges of working in science?

The COVID-19 pandemic was a significant challenge for myself and my team. We have had to adapt accordingly to ensure the trial runs in a ‘COVID safe’ way, and this often meant being flexible and innovative with our processes (e.g. conducting virtual clinics as opposed to face to face).

Even though we see more women pursuing careers in sciences, we still have a long way to go. What would you tell a young person considering studies in STEM?

Give it a go! It is very rewarding and there are many amazing opportunities to pursue.

Melissa Newman

Melissa Newman is currently a Clinical Trial Pharmacist on weekdays, and a Hospital Ward Pharmacist on weekends. Throughout her career, she has had many roles within the Pharmacy department at Austin Health, and previously at Queensland Health. Melissa has been at Austin Health for around 13 years, where she's had the opportunity to take on a variety of roles including covering aseptic drug manufacture, covering several management positions within the pharmacy department, outreach hepatitis C clinic pharmacist, compounding pharmacist, addiction medicine pharmacist and working in outpatient pharmacy.

Prior to working at Austin Health, Melissa had the opportunity to work in Emergency, ICU and Renal, Dialysis and Transplantation. She has a master's degree in pharmacy and is greatly interested in research. She also recently joined the Austin Ethics Committee and donates her time to contribute to excellence in ethical research.

When did you decide to pursue a career in science, and what inspired you to do so?

It is difficult for me to pin a definitive reason for this. I was interested in science from a young age. As a child I played with children chemistry sets. I competed in science and mathematics competitions as soon as I was able. In high school, I was very lucky to have a very supportive chemistry teacher (and family) who helped me to undertake university chemistry whilst in my high school senior year. It was probably through their effort in my senior years that I was able to evaluate what jobs were available in science and what would suit my skillset. I also started working in a community pharmacy whilst in high school, to see what the job actually entailed.

When I got into Pharmacy at university, it was through some of the lecturers, tutors and peers that I had the opportunity to experience a variety of aspects of my profession before I had graduated, including work experience in hospital pharmacy, community pharmacy and research projects at the university. It was the support of a multitude of people that inspired me to the profession I currently practice.

What is the most rewarding part of working in science for you?

Patient care is the most rewarding. Practicing evidence-based medicine and being involved in research the directly adds to the evidence base. I like that the research I am involved in may contribute to helping many people in the future.

What have been the greatest challenges of working in science?

There are a lot of "grey areas" in medicine, where there is limited evidence for patient treatment, and we have to use our professional judgement for treating these patients.

Even though we see more women pursuing careers in sciences, we still have a long way to go. What would you tell a young person considering studies in STEM?

There are many careers available from studying in STEM. Explore the many options that are available to study and investigate what career opportunities are out there and what you are interested in.