This project involves a workshop sponsored by the EC-US Biotechnology Task Force to investigate women's position in the top ranks of international biotechnology research. It probes the roles and contributions of women in this field, the effect of the globalization of the biotechnology industry on opportunities and barriers for women's advancement, the achievements towards gender balance at the top levels of leadership, and the remaining work that needs to be done.
Biotechnology is a growth industry that is increasingly global in its influence and execution. Marshalling a globally distributed, diverse, biotech-ready workforce is essential if we want to fully harness the potential of this industry. Women are an essential part of that workforce. They have a strong interest in the life sciences as is clear from high levels of enrolment at the undergraduate level. However, they are consistently underrepresented at higher levels of academia and industry.
The shortage of talented biotechnology researchers has led policy-makers to take action. Decisions have been made that have successfully increased the number of women receiving graduate education and making innovations in biotechnology companies. Yet the number of women in life science academic and industry leadership positions has remained low. The workshop will explore what has worked and what hasn't in efforts to increase the number of women in leadership positions and explore opportunities for improvement in this area.
