Celebrating International Women's Day

As we mark International Women’s Day on March 8th, we are proud to highlight the crucial role women play in leadership within our ELIXIR-UK Node. With Prof Carole Goble as Joint Head of Node, and the Steering and Management Committees and the Scientific Advisory Board that also reflect a strong gender balance, we celebrate this important day.

Why gender diversity matters

At ELIXIR-UK, we believe that a diverse and inclusive environment is key to advancing scientific research. We’re proud to support initiatives that promote women in STEM careers, from highlighting women in bioinformatics and computational biology at conferences and events to co-leading the European initiative ELEAD – ELIXIR’s Diversity and Mentoring Programme. 

In our community, women’s contributions not only inspire others but also demonstrate the importance of diverse skill sets in advancing science. For instance, Allyson Lister notes that her journey into bioinformatics was unexpected but rewarding. She began with a degree in biology but soon discovered that her interests lay at the intersection of computer science and biology. This transition highlights the value of embracing change and interdisciplinary approaches in career development. Allyson emphasises the importance of being open to change, saying,

“Now, when I volunteer at schools to talk to kids about STEM careers, my primary message is to Be OK With Change. Changes to your original  career plans are more often assets than challenges.”

She also reflects on how her career path evolved:

“Along the way, I realised just how many people in bioinformatics came from wildly different fields; colleagues came from Genetics but also from a veterinary background and much more! I learned that it is at the intersection of multiple disciplines and in the changeability of career trajectories and opportunities where a job becomes the most interesting and engaging.”

Valuing all skills

In ELIXIR-UK, we recognise that all types of skills are essential in science. Wendi Bacon points out that “soft skills are leadership skills,” emphasising the importance of communication, collaboration, and mentoring. These skills are often undervalued but are crucial for building strong teams and fostering innovation. Wendi also highlights the supportive culture within ELIXIR, which values all skills and helps combat imposter syndrome – a common challenge many scientists face. She notes,

“The supportive and respectful culture within ELIXIR, to value all skills that people can bring to the table, has been hugely important to me as a scientist – and I suspect to many of us.” Wendi further emphasises the importance of recognising these skills: “I used to think being ‘chatty’ was a negative, feeding into a gendered stereotype. I now see it is a skillset – I’m a scientist who likes to talk with people, and that’s a critical leadership skill that moves science forward.”

Wendi’s experience in the Galaxy Community further underscores the importance of leadership skills that welcome and empower new contributors. She praises other female leaders in ELIXIR Europe like Saskia Hiltemann and Helena Rasche, who not only excel in technical innovations but also in creating an inclusive environment that boosts confidence and fosters growth. Wendi notes,

“They are excellent humans and leaders in welcoming new contributors and growing the community. They have boosted my confidence hugely over our years working together, always able to find the magic in what I could contribute, and to transform the rough ideas into meaningful features. That’s a hugely important and often missed leadership skill – to be able to sift through the differences in how disciplines or individuals communicate or think, in order to find, polish and action a transformative idea. That is how you lift people up in a community, and that is what great leaders do.”