Professor Fabienne Mackay speaks out on why women need a boost in research

The op-ed, published in The Australian, discusses how we can counter gender bias and improve pathways to senior research roles for women.

Forging a gender-equal world in medical science is a complex task. For leaders in science and medicine today, it is difficult to repair years of damage done by the system to female researchers.

However, in the lead-up to International Women’s Day on Sunday 8 March – a day when we celebrate women’s achievement, raise awareness against bias and take action for equality – Head of the School of Biomedical Sciences, Professor Fabienne Mackay, is calling for change.

A graphic including the masthead of The Australian newspaper and its Higher Education section, and the Headline of Professor Fabienne Mackay's article "Time for women in research to occupy their rightful place".

“It is time for a new age in science, biomedicine and medical research. We need to redress the existing inequality rather than simply give cursory attention to the issue,” Professor Mackay writes.

Specifically, Professor Mackay highlights the need to counter the gender bias inherent in the recruitment and promotion of women to senior levels of biomedical research.

“I believe the academic leaders of our universities and institutes have the responsibility to rectify this through active identification of high-performing women (and men) and encouragement to seek promotion.

“In recent decades we have made it, perhaps, to the metaphorical base camp – an achievement in itself.

“However, from whatever perspective you take, there is still our enormous mountain to climb.”

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