30 January, 2018
AMPM Center Prof. Niveen Khashab led 'Women in STEM' debating the role of women in science. This event was held during Winter Enrichment Program (WEP) 2018 was attended by forty people who took an active part in an inspiriting debate.
Five women with different backgrounds shared their stories of attaining excellence in their careers and discussed how mentors helped them along the way:
They all agreed that the key to an effective mentoring relationship is good communication. Likewise, they gave all attendees valuable advice when making important decisions in their lives.
Prof. Niveen said that women are "multitasked by nature" and should feel free to decide what they want to be in life. "You should always follow what you really are passionate about regardless of the situation", she added.
Shahad explained how making the decision to do a Ph.D. changed her life: "I discovered myself during my Doctorate, I became independent and I learned to manage my projects; it's an exciting experience and if I had to choose, I would do it again!".
Reconciling family and work time is not easy. To keep work-life balance, it is important to manage time available and be flexible to changes.
"Time management, especially as graduate students, is the key; you need to work hard when you are in the laboratory regardless of the number of hours you are there. It is really about being focused and using time effectively," said Prof. Niveen.
For those situations in which there is competitiveness in the workplace; in which there are fights regardless of gender, she adds: "Just be strong, have confidence in who you are and you can do".
Meanwhile, Dr. Emilie remarked "Females can be very competitive. I came off as competitive during my Postdoc but I solved that problem by treating colleagues as friends, not competitors. Encourage a friendly environment around you, make friends of colleagues; be nice and forget negativity".
Mentoring is most often defined as a professional relationship in which an experienced person (Mentor) assists another in developing specific skills and knowledge that will enhance the less-experienced person's professional and personal growth. A Mentor is a guide who can help the younger find the right direction and develop solutions to career issues. Creating a relationship based on communication and trust is essential. In addition; it is important to surround yourself with people from different backgrounds who can give you a different perspective.
Prof. Niveen: "It depends on your relationship with your Mentor – female or male – but sometimes you don't want to ask for help because you want to show that you can handle it. But actually, having a network, having support for each other, can give you new insights and go to your Mentor easier"
To close the roundtable, the group discussed how men can help improve the work environment.
"Be inclusive. Break down barriers. Include women in social interactions as well as work", suggests Laura Sagle.
"Please men, don't assume your colleague is going to be sensitive to something only because she is a female. Do not assume that your colleague will not want to go somewhere because she is of a different religion or background. Just ask her!" concluded Prof. Niveen.