Mayor celebrates eight of West’s brilliant women in science

February 11 was International Day of Women and Girls in Science. So the West of England Combined Authority Mayor Dan Norris decided to meet eight outstanding West of England-based female scientists and engineers breaking the mold and making their way in what remains a very male dominated-field. The Mayor said he wants to showcase the West’s brilliant STEM role models, and inspire the next generation of West of England women scientists, ahead of his visit to Science Creates, a Bristol-based STEM startup centre hosting 41 brilliant science and tech firms.

Research shows most UK adults are unable to name a single living female scientist, while just one in four jobs in STEM are held by women - and they don't always have the smoothest journey. Science Creates, the Old Market and St Phillips-based “deep tech ecosystem” have gone above and beyond to tackle this, with a growing number of female STEM professionals building disruptive businesses tackling key regional and global issues - such as the climate crisis.

Dan Norris, West of England Mayor, who also took part in a “Inspiring Girls Into Science” workshop with pupils from a local school, said: “The number of talented women working in ‘STEM’ in the West of England is continuing to grow. That’s something to be really proud of. But there’s still a perception that these subjects and career options are for men which is something that needs addressing. In fact, I’m determined to show that’s not true whatsoever, and am pleased to be making that case at Science Creates who really have gone above and beyond in terms of working towards reaching gender parity. Some of the brilliant women at Science Creates are involved in research that could truly transform the lives of so many people - regionally, nationally and globally. These women are role models. I really want to celebrate them, to champion their awesome achievements and so inspire the West of England female scientists of tomorrow.”

Charlie Proctor, CEO of Science Creates Outreach, a new immersive charity with a mission to inspire the next generation of scientists, commented: “Building a diverse and confident STEM workforce is vital. It is crucial to diversify the faces of science by empowering girls with their own scientific potential. By joining our workshops, children are equipped with essential skills to tackle future challenges.

"And all in a unique location at the heart of Science Creates’ Old Market incubator, where visiting groups are surrounded by inspiring examples of the critical work that scientists do.” 

Three of the brilliant female scientists Mayor Norris met on the day are Genome Key’s Dr Clio Andreae, Dr Marjolein Meinders from Scarlet Therapeutics and Dr Kate Wright who is part of the Executive Team at Extracellular.

Dr Marjolein Meinders, Group Leader at Scarlet Therapeutics, which is developing pioneering red blood cell-based therapeutics to treat a wide range of diseases, said: “At Scarlet, where most of our scientists are women, we cherish the inclusive atmosphere prevalent in both our laboratory and office spaces.

“As a woman in a leadership role, I take great joy in showcasing the diverse opportunities available in biotech to inspire future scientists.”

Dr Kate Wright, Chief Operating Officer at Extracellular, who run Europe's largest contract facility dedicated to lab-grown meat and seafood based in Science Creates, added: “Having had a fulfilling career in biotechnology, it’s an honour and a pleasure to be a role model for the next generation of women scientists and engineers.

“The team at Extracellular is 50 per cent women, many of whom are in the early stages of their careers. We are not only making lab-grown meat and seafood more accessible, but developing future leaders in biotechnology and engineering too!”

Dr Clio Andreae, Senior Scientist at GenomeKey, who uses innovative tech and AI to help treat sepsis patients in hours rather than days, said: ''I am proud to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team at GenomeKey, working as part of a team with women representing each of our disciplines representing microbiology, cell biology, bioinformatics, machine learning, administration and operations."

Encouraging more women into STEM is a key priority for the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, led by the regional Mayor, with Mr Norris pointing to the Adult Education Budget which last year helped 43 female science learners and 271 female Maths learners gain new qualifications. The multi-million-pound Skills Bootcamps are also helping more women become professional software engineers, including coders, while more female students are being supported towards STEM careers through the high-quality careers support provided to schools and colleges across the West of England region.