- UTS has joined a first-of-its-kind mentoring program to support up-and-coming female health and medical researchers in gaining leadership positions
- Some of Australia's most influential health researchers participating in the program as mentors, helping female researchers navigate their career pathway and the challenges they face
The University of Technology Sydney is among twelve top health research organisations to join an innovative mentoring program aimed at supporting up-and-coming female researchers to reach leadership positions in the sector.
The mentoring program delivered by Franklin Women, a professional organisation dedicated to retaining women in the health and medical research field, was launched at UTS on 22 June with an event bringing the 54 mentees and mentors together for the first time.
"Our mentoring program is the first of its kind in the sector connecting female researchers with male and female leaders from diverse organisations who will embark on an important mentoring relationship," said Franklin Women founder, Dr Melina Georgousakis.
"The fact that so many health research organisations have come on board for the inaugural year of our mentoring program demonstrates their commitment to addressing the gender imbalance in the sector and the expected impact the program will have."
Some of Australia's most influential health researchers will be participating in the program as mentors helping female researchers navigate their career pathway and the challenges they face.
This year's mentors include Distinguished Professor Caroline Homer from the UTS Faculty of Health who was recently awarded an Order of Australia medal for her service to medicine.
She is joined at UTS by Professor Alaina Ammit from the Faculty of Science. Professor Ammit is Professor of Respiratory Pharmacology in the School of Life Sciences and Director of the Woolcock Emphysema Research Centre.
Two UTS early career researchers are participating as mentees, Dr Jane Frawley and Dr Nikki Percival from the Faculty of Health. Both have been awarded National Health and Medical Research Council Early Career fellowships.