International Day of Women and Girls in Science: Support and Empowerment

February 11, 2025 marks the 10^th Anniversary of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science (1), which looks to highlight the challenges and progress of women in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Pharmaceutical Technology® sat down with Michelle Bridenbaker, COO of Unbiased Science, to gain her perspective on how women can be empowered to excel in these crucial roles, as women provide unique and important perspectives.

Building careers in pharma

PharmTech: What are some of the benefits of STEM programs for girls in school? How do these programs translate to women building careers in the pharmaceutical industry?

Bridenbaker: Everything starts at school in terms of cultivating ambition and a sense of what you can achieve. When I was at school and passionate about science, I was at times discouraged from pursuing this as a specialist subject and career on the basis that this would be a tough path for a woman and for raising a family; it was suggested instead that being a teacher was more realistic. Actively promoting STEM subjects to girls from an early age is essential to cultivate their passion, talent, and ambition, first so they have a vision and then so that they believe in themselves enough to pursue it. STEM programs are critical not just for fostering talent from the earliest opportunity, but also for ensuring that enough bright minds come through into scientific fields, to ensure a sustainable, relevant, and representative workforce which is vital to each country’s competitive stance in the fields of medicine, pharma, medical device development, and more. In terms of the pharma industry specifically, a strong scientific background is a solid foundation for the rigour, discipline, and critical as well as innovative thinking that modern pharma success is built on. As employers, pharma companies need to actively encourage women through mentorship and leadership preparation, so that they see and realise their full potential.

PharmTech: Is there sufficient investment in promoting STEM career paths for girls? Should the pharma industry invest in these types of promotions?

Bridenbaker: The situation is improving now, but there is always a lot more than could be done. The pharma industry should absolutely be investing in and promoting STEM career paths for girls. It’s incumbent on them to do so. It’s about investing in a sustainable talent base, and about doing the right thing by half of the population. Not to mention accessing the many inherent leadership qualities that women bring to the table, and as drivers of technology-based process innovation.

A unique perspective

PharmTech: Artificial intelligence (AI) is a fast-growing technology in the pharmaceutical industry. Are there unique and specific skills and/or viewpoints women in STEM jobs bring to this area?

Bridenbaker: Women excel at instigating and implementing technology-based change, because we are inherently good at identifying opportunities to hone productivity and efficiency, while also being methodical and having a close eye on the detail. We instinctively perform risk assessments, for instance. In an AI context, these qualities are especially important because of the need to consider both the ethics of AI use, and also the human impact of process automation. Although it sounds like a generalization, we also tend to be very open to sharing best practice; to collaborating; and to supporting others when they are unsure how to implement AI and technology effectively. Given the speed with which AI is advancing and changing, that’s vital.

Global community

PharmTech: Which countries or regions are at the forefront of advancing women’s role in fields like pharmaceutical development and manufacturing?

Bridenbaker: I have been a leader with reach across most geographies, and I have to say I think we still have a way to go, despite having made significant gains in the past 20 years. What I can say for certain, is that countries that actively protect women in the workforce have a head start. I’m thinking about the Nordics, the UK and Ireland, and France—where there is generally strong support in the form of maternity and paternity leave, provision for a gradual return to work, and the ability to balance work with having a family. Without good policies here, economies and employers are putting at risk a significant proportion of their workforce and future talent base, and by extension their long-term sustainability.

Click the video above for a more in-depth discussion with Michelle Bridenbaker.

Reference

1. UN. International Day of Women and Girls in Science, 11 February. UN.org (accessed Feb. 7, 2025) https://www.un.org/en/observances/women-and-girls-in-science-day/

About the speaker

Michelle Bridenbaker, COO of Unbiased Science

Michelle Bridenbaker owns and is COO of Unbiased Science, a trailblazing health science communications company. She is also VP of Medical Information Leaders in Europe (MILE) and serves on the scientific boards of multiple tech and device firms, contributing to cutting-edge advancements in communications, science, and medicine.