“I’ve never felt like a woman in science, I’ve always felt like a scientist”

 

Serendipitous is a word I would use to describe my career. While I didn’t start out wanting a career in agriculture, it was serendipity that led me to it.

There were no scientists in my close family, no one had been to university either, but when I developed a passion for biology at school, they supported me in my ambitions to pursue a career in science. 

My original vision was to study vet science. I loved working with animals and chose to study Agricultural Science at Nottingham University, which combined plant and animal science. Little did I know it was plants that would grab my attention.

Back then all science degrees started generally, which meant I was in a cohort with students studying all manner of sciences. In this period, the field of choice for most women was nutritional science, and unfortunately most women didn’t end up with a career in science at the end.

While it’s amazing to see so many women choosing to study science now, it’s important we see the follow through, as this is the missing link, particularly in agricultural science. While 55 per cent of university students studying agricultural sciences are women, they comprise only one third of the agricultural workforce. The numbers speak for themselves – more needs to be done.

 

I was very fortunate with my career progression. After securing my agricultural science degree, I received a travel scholarship to travel to India to work as an intern at an international agricultural research institute. That was a catalyst for the rest of my life.

As I travelled through Asia, I was fascinated by the diversity of agriculture that I saw. The challenges of protecting food crops were universal, and only the scale of production and degree of mechanisation really differed. My travels finally brought me to Australia, where I was fortunate to land a great job working in plant protection in the horticultural industry. 

I’ve worked with Bayer in plant protection for 27 years and experienced a wealth of opportunities.

I started off working in the field conducting trial work at the coal face, evaluating new pipeline products on farm. Since then, I’ve worked in various management roles including as a global product development manager and regulatory science manager in our head office in Germany and have worked in my current role as Head of Field Solutions for Australia and New Zealand for more than a decade.

It’s incredibly rewarding to develop new products and bring them to market. I have a passion for agriculture and I still get a huge kick out of finding new solutions for Australian farmers that deliver value. It’s what makes me tick.

I seek the same opportunities for the next generation of women and girls. It’s vitally important they pursue an education and career in whatever field they choose.  Bayer prioritises inclusion and diversity within its workforce, which helps to meet the needs of our customers through better, diverse ideas, innovations and product solutions that benefit a broader section of society.

Bayer has strengthened its efforts to foster a more inclusive and diverse workforce and culture with the goal to establish a 50/50 gender balance globally and locally by 2025. I encourage women scientists out there apply for these roles at Bayer. I can attest to the scope of these opportunities and being a part of the future of agriculture.

For women and girls looking at a career in science, the most important thing is to back yourself in and try. In science, we rarely get the outcome we expect first time – it takes persistence and an inquisitive mind to work out “why“ and to adapt for the next attempt.

And eventually you’ll achieve something remarkable. That’s science. 

All the while you can be rewarded with the satisfaction of working in an area that makes a real difference to people’s lives. I encourage women and girls out there to give it a go – you won’t regret it.