The theme of International Women’s Day this year was #ChooseToChallenge. Here in FMS, we believe strongly in challenging gendered assumptions on working in science. It’s important to celebrate the hard working & powerful women leading our department, who set an example every day of just how much women are capable of. To all fellow women scientists out there: remember to celebrate yourselves everyday!

The seventh (and final) interview in our #ChooseToChallenge series is with Eileen Kaner, Professor of Public Health and Primary Care research. Once again, enjoy!

Please describe your role.

I am a Professor of Public Health and Primary Care research at Newcastle University and also Director of an NIHR Applied Research Collaboration which crosses the North East and North Cumbria. The main focus of my work is to develop, deliver and disseminate research findings on health and well-being which have a bearing on the ‘real world’ of peoples’ lives. We are also focused on addressing inequalities in health status, experiences of health and social care and its outcomes. Hence the vision for the ARC is ‘Better, fairer health and care at all ages and in all places’.

What would a normal day look like for you?

Currently, it is hard to say what ‘normal’ is, I have worked from home since the 12th March 2020. I am lucky to have an office at home and also older children who have not needed specific home schooling from me. Typically, round 60% of every day is spend in video-conferences conducting interviews, project meetings, funding panels and NICE guidance work. It is extraordinary how most people have managed to convert work activity into remote processes. I miss human contact – but – do not miss the travel associated with office work.

How have you found a balance between work and homelife during Covid?

I have tried to find a balance between work and homelife – although this can be difficult when working at home. I am a bit of an owl, so I do not mind working a little later – for me this is the perfect time to catch up after days full of meetings. However, I do not work at the weekend. So this helps make a clear separation between home and work-time.

What does it mean to you being a woman in your role?

I am proud to be a research leader and a mother of four children. I feel that each part of my life informs the other. Life can be hectic (work demands have certainly not slowed down during the pandemic) but my research work seems useful to others in a very direct way.

A massive thank you to Eileen for taking the time to talk to us. This brings us to the end of our Choose to Challenge series. We hope you’ve enjoyed the insight into the lives of these empowering women as much as we have!

Newcastle University is committed to developing careers for all colleagues, with some great success stories of women who have developed full and rewarding careers across the institution.  Historically we have supported specific women into leadership programmes such as the Aurora programme and the Women in academia – coaching and mentoring (WiCAM) programme in collaboration with Durham University, alongside broader coaching and mentoring opportunities.  As part of the university commitment to this agenda, work is currently underway to review our development offerings with a view to launching a refreshed offer in the autumn to ensure we have the right support in place.

The theme of International Women’s Day this year was #ChooseToChallenge. Here in FMS, we believe strongly in challenging gendered assumptions on working in science. It’s important to celebrate the hard working & powerful women leading our department, who set an example every day of just how much women are capable of. To all fellow women scientists out there: remember to celebrate yourselves everyday!

The sixth interview in our #ChooseToChallenge series is with Paula Salgado, Senior Lecturer and Theme Lead for Molecular Mechanisms of Life Research. Enjoy!

Please describe your role.

I’m Theme Lead for the Molecular Mechanisms of Life Research Theme in the Biosciences Institute, at the Faculty of Medical Sciences and a Senior Lecturer.

What would a normal day look like for you?

At the moment, normal is hard to define and we’re constantly having to adapt to these challenging times.

Currently, a typical day starts with a daily walk to take my son to nursery – it’s an opportunity for some exercise and tends to help charge up my energy for the day. I’ll then have part of the day reserved to Zoom meetings and always try to block time in my diary for teaching and/or research activities.

I will typically have group meetings and one-to-one discussions with my group members at either end of the week, giving them time to carry out experiments and analyse data.

Theme and management related meetings and tasks tend to be carried out throughout the day and week, as needed.

At the moment, I’m preparing a grant application so focusing on reading and writing for a few hours a day – when I can!

How have you found a balance between work and homelife during Covid?

There have been many challenges to balance leadership roles, my research group, teaching commitments and family life during the last year. During lockdown, when nurseries were closed, it was particularly difficult and I had to adapt working hours, focusing on early afternoons and evenings. There has been an impact of COVID in my work, but we have been able to continue our research, thanks to a fantastic group of postdocs and PhD students, a huge thank you to them for their dedication and hard work! Of course, support from colleagues and collaborators is also essential. We all know it’s been a difficult year but together we can continue to do great science and provide a good learning experience for our students.

What does it mean to you being a woman in your role?

Being Theme Lead is an opportunity to create a supportive, nurturing and collaborative research environment. Women in leadership positions face many challenges but we also have an opportunity to affect change and inspire others. We have to continuously work to make our working environments inclusive and fair and I hope I can contribute as Theme Lead to make this a daily reality.

A massive thank you to Paula for taking the time to talk to us.

Newcastle University is committed to developing careers for all colleagues, with some great success stories of women who have developed full and rewarding careers across the institution.  Historically we have supported specific women into leadership programmes such as the Aurora programme and the Women in academia – coaching and mentoring (WiCAM) programme in collaboration with Durham University, alongside broader coaching and mentoring opportunities.  As part of the university commitment to this agenda, work is currently underway to review our development offerings with a view to launching a refreshed offer in the autumn to ensure we have the right support in place.

The theme of International Women’s Day this year was #ChooseToChallenge. Here in FMS, we believe strongly in challenging gendered assumptions on working in science. It’s important to celebrate the hard working & powerful women leading our department, who set an example every day of just how much women are capable of. To all fellow women scientists out there: remember to celebrate yourselves everyday!

The fifth interview in our #ChooseToChallenge series is with Lynn Rochester, Professor of Human Movement Science (and much more!) Enjoy.

Please describe your role.

I have multiple roles as the following description will highlight and therefore, wear many hats! However, I like to think somehow, collectively, they form a coherent whole – although its not always so clear……  Let me give some examples of key roles.

I am Professor of Human Movement Science based in the Translational and Clinical Research Institute in the Faculty of Medical Sciences. In this role I am proud to lead the Brain and Movement Research Group (http://bam-ncl.co.uk/). In this role I lead strategically, provide supervision, mentorship, lead and contribute to research projects, aim to provide a dynamic and supportive environment, support the team to progress through their careers. 

I have a national leadership role in the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network where I provide strategic leadership and oversite of the NIHR research portfolio covering a cluster of health conditions with the aim of optimising and ensuring delivery of high quality clinical research. In this role I also lead national research projects to improve the clinical research landscape and optimise trial delivery.

I have an international leadership role as the co-ordinator of Mobilise-D (https://www.mobilise-d.eu) funded through the EU Innovative Medicines Initiative. Mobilise-D is an international consortium of 34 academic and industry partners from 13 countries that is aiming to use digital technology to develop better methods to measure mobility in the real-world. We are applying the approach in multiple conditions so we can better measure and treat mobility loss.

But in reality irrespective of the title my role is to support, nurture, mentor, lead, create, problem solve and deliver – its never dull!

What would a normal day look like for you?

I would imagine my daily routine can appear – to an outside eye as chaotic – because as you can tell by the response to the previous question – I juggle multiple roles.  For many of us a normal day at present isn’t a ‘normal’ day because of the remote nature of work. In reality for me however, multiple ZOOM calls were already part of my routine – because of the international nature of my work.  What has changed is the intensity of each day, as there is no down time moving from one meeting to another. This means that your brain has to catch up quickly – moving from a conversation on algorithms to measure mobility, to inclusion of under-served populations in clinical trials, to PhD supervision, to chairing or speaking at national/international meetings.  But its all good – there is no such thing as a boring day.  I really enjoy the different interactions and I get to work with some amazing people as well as the pleasure of seeing members of my group progressing in their careers.  I am looking forward to some face to face meetings however, as I miss the spontaneity of conversation, bouncing ideas around and just the general joy of interacting with other human beings J.

How have you found a balance between work and homelife during Covid?

Like everyone this was a challenge and has continued to evolve over the duration of the pandemic.  I am someone who works best in a team – both as a clinician (as a physiotherapist) and as an academic. So initially I found it very difficult to suddenly find myself working from home and adapting to the new normal.  However, it was essential – and it became clear that my working space/environment was critical – as well as the need to create some clear boundaries. I am fortunate in that there was space to create a separate office.  This allowed me to set up better routines and help create a balance.  I have always been active and enjoyed exercise, however this became even more important for me. I have prioritised getting outside each day and taking regular breaks to move around (nothing more exciting than getting up to sort out the laundry  – one of the benefits of home working – the chores don’t have to wait until the weekend 😊). On some levels it has made life easier as commuting to meetings around the country and overseas took a lot of my time.  So in some ways I have also gained.

What does it mean to you being a woman in your role?

Not an easy question to answer. There are the obvious responses of course – but in reality – on a day to day basis I don’t really think about this – I just see myself as one of the team – either leading it or working within  – depending upon what is going on.  However, I think I bring a different perspective and that is good.  I am also tuned into the competing challenges that female colleagues may have and this awareness is important to help create a harmonious and inclusive workplace.  My own research team is very diverse – so the experience of working in a diverse team is embedded within the research culture of my group.  I am also able to reflect on my own experiences and use those to inform interactions with colleagues.  I mentor female scientists and one of the key areas I find important is building confidence to lead.  I have been fortunate to work with some amazing people who have influenced me in my career.  I hope in turn I can pass this on to the talented women who I work with in my group and more broadly.  One advantage of being in a senior leadership role is that I can use my voice where needed to highlight issues and celebrate success – both of which are important. I find that there are more celebrations than problems when things are approached with a positive and collegial frame of mind. As with everything in life – balance is important!

A massive thank you to Lynn for taking the time to talk to us.

Newcastle University is committed to developing careers for all colleagues, with some great success stories of women who have developed full and rewarding careers across the institution.  Historically we have supported specific women into leadership programmes such as the Aurora programme and the Women in academia – coaching and mentoring (WiCAM) programme in collaboration with Durham University, alongside broader coaching and mentoring opportunities.  As part of the university commitment to this agenda, work is currently underway to review our development offerings with a view to launching a refreshed offer in the autumn to ensure we have the right support in place.

The theme of International Women’s Day this year was #ChooseToChallenge. Here in FMS, we believe strongly in challenging gendered assumptions on working in science. It’s important to celebrate the hard working & powerful women leading our department, who set an example every day of just how much women are capable of. To all fellow women scientists out there: remember to celebrate yourselves everyday!

The fourth interview in our #ChooseToChallenge series is with Emma Stevenson, Professor of Sport & Exercise Science and Deputy Dean of Population Health Services Institute. Enjoy!

Please describe your role.

I am a Professor of Sport and Exercise Science and Deputy Dean of Population Health Sciences Institute (PHSI) in The Faculty of Medical Sciences.  I lead on the strategic development of the discipline of Sport and Exercise Science from a teaching, research and infrastructure perspective. It has been an amazing opportunity to set up a new discipline in the Medical School. In my Deputy Dean role, I support Professor Catherine Exley (Dean) in the day-to-day running of PHSI and in the development and growth of the Institute.

What would a normal day look like for you?

A normal day would usually start with an early morning run by the sea followed by a mad hour getting my two boys ready for school and out of the door in time. At work, I spend a lot of time in meetings either in my Deputy Dean role or with colleagues in Sport and Exercise Science. I also spend time meeting with my PhD students and meeting with both UG and PG students that I supervise or teach. I really enjoy the student-facing aspects of my job. Pre-COVID, I spent a lot of time travelling for meetings and conferences which I do miss.

How have you found a balance between work and homelife during Covid?

I have had to coordinate work and home schooling commitments as much as possible so I try and plan meetings in blocks and make sure I keep time free in my diary for lunch time with the children. Exercise has always been a big part of our family life but this has become even more important during COVID. Getting out for runs and walks every day has really helped to switch off from work and reset for family time.  Having a designated work area that I can walk away from at the end of a working day has also helped.

What does it mean to you being a woman in your role?

I’m proud to be in a leadership role as a woman surrounded by many other inspiring women in FMS and across the wider University. I feel very lucky to work with so many supportive colleagues, particularly those who understand the pressures of being a working mum.

A massive thank you to Emma for taking the time to talk to us.

Newcastle University is committed to developing careers for all colleagues, with some great success stories of women who have developed full and rewarding careers across the institution.  Historically we have supported specific women into leadership programmes such as the Aurora programme and the Women in academia – coaching and mentoring (WiCAM) programme in collaboration with Durham University, alongside broader coaching and mentoring opportunities.  As part of the university commitment to this agenda, work is currently underway to review our development offerings with a view to launching a refreshed offer in the autumn to ensure we have the right support in place.

The theme of International Women’s Day this year was #ChooseToChallenge. Here in FMS, we believe strongly in challenging gendered assumptions on working in science. It’s important to celebrate the hard working & powerful women leading our department, who set an example every day of just how much women are capable of. To all fellow women scientists out there: remember to celebrate yourselves everyday!

The third interview in our #ChooseToChallenge series is with Tracy Palmer, Theme Lead for ‘Microbes in Health and Disease’. Enjoy!

Please describe your role.

I am Theme Lead for ‘Microbes in Health and Disease’ and run a research team of 13 people. I also have numerous external roles, for example I serve on the Wellcome Science Interview panel and am a journal editor. My Theme Lead role has involved establishing the theme, developing our strategy and website. I represent the theme at institute and faculty management meetings. I help to mentor others (both within and outside of the theme) by critiquing grant and fellowship applications and helping to practice interviews.

What would a normal day look like for you?

It’s hard to say what a normal day, week or even year looks like! What most days have in common is that I do multiple different things, often several at a time. For example this week I have attended an institute management meeting, delivered a live lecture to 100+ first year students, hosted an external seminar speaker and wrote two promotion letters for colleagues. I also had zoom meetings with almost all of the members of my research group, my two final year undergraduate project students and my MRes student. I enjoy being busy and the variety of things that I do, although it can be a challenge keeping on top of everything (flagged e-mails and an organised diary are my saviours).

How have you found a balance between work and homelife during Covid?

I found working from home very tough at the start, but have managed to adapt. I have even broken my dependence on having all of my paperwork as printed hard copy! The toughest thing for me is that there is now no boundary between work and home, work is ever present and it’s hard to stop myself doing bits and pieces over the weekend. One of the other perils of working from home is wifi reliability. It’s ok early in the mornings, but really takes a hit once my sons also log on (they are aged 18 and 20, both university students living at home)!

What does it mean to you being a woman in your role?

I am very comfortable as a woman in most of my roles. Women are well represented as Theme Leads and on most of the other panels and advisory boards that I serve. I think it is very important for people in under-represented groups to be visible in leadership roles. It has been encouraging to see the number of women in these roles steadily increase during the time I have been an academic. However this is not been the case for other under-represented groups, and is one of the biggest challenges we face.

A massive thank you to Tracy for taking the time to talk to us.

Newcastle University is committed to developing careers for all colleagues, with some great success stories of women who have developed full and rewarding careers across the institution.  Historically we have supported specific women into leadership programmes such as the Aurora programme and the Women in academia – coaching and mentoring (WiCAM) programme in collaboration with Durham University, alongside broader coaching and mentoring opportunities.  As part of the university commitment to this agenda, work is currently underway to review our development offerings with a view to launching a refreshed offer in the autumn to ensure we have the right support in place.