Saturday marked International Women’s Day, but did you know that the 10th anniversary of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science took place on 11 February 2025? This day was established by the United Nations to promote gender equality in science for women and girls. Perhaps I had my head under a rock, or perhaps this day passed by us in New Zealand like any other. Was there any media coverage at all?? Despite this, and even though this important day has already passed us, I prefer not to let it slip by unnoticed.
As I have worked at the forefront of science and innovation over the last 25 years, I have enjoyed witnessing increasing numbers of female scientists and inventors, and a growing number of female role models in science. But it is clear that women, especially Māori and Pasifika women, are under-represented in this field. This article does not aim to identify or address the many reasons for the imbalance, but instead, I hope to showcase four of our amazing wāhine who are succeeding in science nationally and globally, and to encourage other women and girls to take their first steps toward carving their own path forward in what can be a very rewarding career.
Dame Margaret Brimble FRS is a Distinguished Professor and Director of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, an Executive Editor for Organic Letters (American Chemical Society), Deputy Director of the Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery and Past-President of IUPAC Organic and Biomolecular Division III. She is also a Fellow of the Royal Society London, Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit and has been inducted into the American Chemical Society Medicinal Chemistry Hall of Fame, in addition to receiving numerous awards for her achievements in science – too many to list here. Margaret’s current research focusses on the synthesis of novel bioactive natural products/antimicrobial peptides and the synthesis of lipopeptides for cancer vaccines and new biomaterials.
1. What was it about science that piqued your interest so that you chose it as a career path?
I always liked subjects that had concrete answers like maths and chemistry. I enjoyed chemistry in that there is a definite molecular structure to chemistry. When I studied chemistry at University, I realised organic chemistry was everywhere (drugs, food, cosmetics, plants, etc.) and I really wanted to learn more about it.
2. What do you think a career in science can offer to women and what can women offer to the science fraternity?
Careers in research science enable women to become leaders in their field at an international level. Women can participate in science at a global level even though they may work in a small country like New Zealand – the language of science is universal.
3. What are some of the aspects of a career in science that you enjoy most?
I enjoy working with young people of all abilities and seeing them reach their potential and start their careers in science and other areas. I mainly work with graduate students who are making their way in the world and starting to work out what they like working on and where they want to go next.
4. Could you please describe one achievement (your own or someone else’s) of a woman who has contributed to science in a manner that you think is remarkable?
Many female scientists admire Marie Curie as she won two Nobel Prizes – one for Physics and one for Chemistry.
5. What can we do to better attract and retain more women in science?
A big issue for women who pursue laboratory-based science is maintaining momentum when they start a family. I think more help should be offered to encourage women back into the workplace after a career break. For women who are lucky enough to have a secure position when they start a family then technical support to enable them to continue their research whilst on maternity leave is also important.
6. Are there any other comments that you’d like to make that would be of interest to girls and women considering a future in science?
To pursue a career in science you have to be passionate about what you do. You also have to be resilient and accept that success isn’t instant.
Dr Pauline Harris, from the tribes Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Rakaipaka and Ngāti Kahungunu, is an astrophysicist who currently holds roles as an Associate Professor at Massey University, Chairperson of the Society for Māori Astronomy Research and Traditions (SMART), Deputy Director Māori for the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology and was the Vision Mātauranga Theme Leader for the Science for Technological Innovation National Science Challenge. Pauline’s current research focuses on mātauranga Māori associated with Māori astronomy, Māori calendars called maramataka, and climate change.
1. What was it about science that piqued your interest so that you chose it as a career path?
I’ve always loved science—especially space. Everything about space, the stars, space travel, black holes, galaxies—it was all just fascinating. I started my early research career making conductive polymers, conducting Raman spectroscopy, and studying microlensing events.
For my master’s degree, I studied dark matter and how the universe formed. Then, a PhD opportunity came up, and that’s when I began researching high-energy neutrinos from Gamma Ray Bursts. We had a collaboration with the U.S., and the telescope was based at the South Pole. No, I didn’t go to the South Pole, but I did the analysis and modeling!
2. What do you think a career in science can offer to women, and what can women offer to the science fraternity?
For a start, it’s cool, interesting, and challenging! It gives us a chance to explore and innovate, pushing our minds to new places. It’s creative, fun, and fascinating.
Women in science are brilliant thinkers, inventors, and strategists. We bring people together, we are great negotiators, team players, and leaders. And we are SMART!
3. What are some of the aspects of a career in science that you enjoy most?
One of the most exciting aspects of my career has been the development of Māori astronomy and my work in educational outreach and research within the community, especially contributing to the design of game changers such as the Matariki Public holiday, and to leading, directing and developing Māori capacity and capability in scientific institutions. These initiatives have been one of the most fulfilling parts of my journey.
I have been fortunate to have many brilliant mentors, including Professor Jenny Adams at Canterbury University. After my PhD, I became deeply involved in Māori astronomy and eventually became the chair of the Society for Māori Astronomy Research Traditions. From there, I embarked on a journey of revitalizing Māori astronomical knowledge, which has been incredibly fulfilling.
4. Could you please describe one achievement (your own or someone else’s) of a woman who has contributed to science in a manner that you think is remarkable?
For me, the story of the women in Hidden Figures stands out. Women—particularly women of color—have had to overcome immense barriers just to get a seat at the table and demonstrate their brilliance. The perseverance of these women in the face of discrimination and their resulting contributions to one of humanity’s greatest achievements—space exploration—are truly phenomenal.
5. What can we do to better attract and retain more women in science?
One of the most important things is supporting women in science. Education is key—not just for women, but for men in science as well—to ensure that we all help create a space that is welcoming, collegial, and safe for women.
It’s crucial to give women in science the space to talk and be heard without being dominated by men. This means fostering environments where women’s contributions are equally valued and where they are not constantly being given unsolicited advice but are engaged in meaningful, respectful dialogue.
I also think that having plenty of support during career development is important. I was fortunate to be advised in my career by great mentors over the years and have been guided by capacity and capability experts such as Kirsty Doyle who runs Te Ara ki te Taumata – Pathway to the summit programme that grow women leaders across Aotearoa. These types of programmes uplift us and help us realise our potential.
The Māori and Indigenous PhD network was phenomenal too. These networks and programmes have been awesome and have helped me realise my own potential.
I also think it’s really important to create safe spaces for Māori (women and men) in science—spaces that respect both our knowledge systems and our expertise in modern scientific fields.
6. Are there any other comments that you’d like to make that would be of interest to girls and women considering a future in science?
People shouldn’t assume that every Māori scientist is an expert in all things cultural. While many of us hold deep cultural knowledge, it’s also important to engage with us in the areas we’ve trained in professionally.
Additionally, we need more opportunities and scholarships to increase the number of Māori women in science. The numbers are still very low. Indigenous networks—both within Māori science and broader Western science—must be supported so that our Māori wāhine can thrive and help develop future leaders in these fields.
Dr Kate McGrath is Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President of Research at the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia, having previously held the roles of Vice-Provost (Research) and Professor of Chemistry at Victoria University in Wellington, and Director of the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, among other roles. Kate is also the Chair of numerous start-up companies and national committees; she has taught extensively; developed curricula and new degrees; supervised students; published 80 research papers; and worked to help primary school and early childhood teachers in New Zealand introduce STEM into their classrooms.
1. What was it about science that piqued your interest so that you chose it as a career path?
I liked to really understand how things worked, and mathematics, physics and chemistry seemed a way that I could do that. Then I began to realise what it means to create knowledge, to create something that no one else had ever known and that will be enduring. That just seemed an amazing thing to be able to do. So that is why I choose science and why in particular I choose a career as a researcher.
2. What do you think a career in science can offer to women and what can women offer to the science fraternity?
Diversity is the most amazing thing we have at our finger tips – particularly diversity of thought and perspective. Bringing people together who think differently about the same things can allow better outcomes to be achieved from the activities and work of people. By including more women, from all cultures and backgrounds, in science discussion, we can enable science questions to be explored in different ways, and for different considerations to be made. And also, it is just better for the daily lived experience. The world is just better when a single gender doesn’t overly dominate.
3. What are some of the aspects of a career in science that you enjoy most?
I love learning stuff, investigating stuff, doing work that really has the potential to change people’s lives for the better. It is varied and interesting. I have gotten to live in different countries because science expertise and capabilities are so in demand and globally transferrable and recognised. Every day has been different, and I like that as well.
4. Could you please describe one achievement (your own or someone else’s) of a woman who has contributed to science in a manner that you think is remarkable?
There are so many. For me, Rosalind Franklin is remarkable – not only was she part of the team that figured out DNA – and widely known to have been ignored for her part in this for decades, but she also made seminal discoveries in at least three other areas of science! What a mind, what an amazing woman. I also admire local NZ hero Jan Wikaira, who was a crystallographer after having been a school teacher. She changed student’s lives every day and made them understand chemistry and make it real for them – incredible.
5. What can we do to better attract and retain more women in science?
Support our early childhood, primary and secondary teachers better to make teaching a great career choice, and to help our teachers stay enthusiastic about teaching science all the way through education. Remove the belief that science is too hard, and complex and that girls aren’t good at it, and instead encourage more girls to participate in and study science. I think that will help heaps.
Dr Frederique Vanholsbeeck is a Professor of Physics at the University of Auckland. She has been involved in the development of a patented all-fibre real time spectroscopic optical probe (or optrode) and now focuses on monitoring bacterial processes as well as using optical coherence tomography (OCT) to monitor soft tissue and food quality. Frederique has been awarded the NZAS Hill-Tinsley medal in 2020, the OSA (Optical Society of America) Diversity and Inclusion Advocacy Recognition inaugural award in 2018, and the Miriam Dell Excellence in Science Mentoring Award and the Dean’s Award for Sustained Excellence in Teaching in 2017.
1. What was it about science that piqued your interest so that you chose it as a career path?
I liked that science has real applications. I was always awed by the impact that science can have on everyday life.
2. What do you think a career in science can offer to women and what can women offer to the science fraternity?
I really enjoy my life as a scientist. A career as a scientist offers flexibility at many levels. You can choose to focus on research, education, or leadership/service to the community. In research, you can choose between applied, fundamental or translational. Your schedule, to a certain extent, can be flexible as well.
Teams that include women and that are diverse in their make up in general, are better at solving problems. It has been proven on many occasions to the point that it is now a requirement for some funding agencies to have diverse teams.
3. What are some of the aspects of a career in science that you enjoy most?
Working in multidisciplinary teams and constantly learning.
4. Could you please describe one achievement (your own or someone else’s) of a woman who has contributed to science in a manner that you think is remarkable?
In my research community, there are some amazing women who have contributed excellent science and discoveries while working to make science in general and photonics, in particular, a better place for women and underrepresented minorities. Just a few names: Jess Wade, Judith Dawes, Halina Rubinsztein-Dunlop, Anita Mahadevan-Jansen, Cather Simpson, Michal Lipson and many more are my heroes.
5. What can we do to better attract and retain more women in science?
Promote role models and make sure that the system is fair and inclusive. The first step is to celebrate all successes equally and allow everyone to shine.
6. Are there any other comments that you’d like to make that would be of interest to girls and women considering a future in science?
Make sure you talk to people about your dreams and get people to support you. It is hard to succeed alone, but the community is there, ready to support you, so don’t be shy. Everyone, even the biggest names in science, has been there before and benefitted from some guidance, support and discussion from more senior scientists.
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I hope that, like me, you are also inspired by these women. We don’t have to look far to see that we have some incredible wāhine working in science, who are contributing to the field both nationally and globally. All of these women started at the beginning, as any of us will, when we start learning something new. All of these women took inspiration from other female leaders in science, of which there are a growing number, and all found that science has given them the flexibility and the opportunity to focus their careers in areas that were of most interest to them, personally. They have found the opportunities to build their career overseas and at home. They have carried out research and made discoveries and products that have changed people’s lives, for the better. And although they each acknowledge that there is still progress to be made to better encourage and support women (and diversity in general) in science, the issue is not insurmountable.
I particularly liked Pauline and Frederique’s comments that leaning on personal networks and organised network groups can help support resilience and confidence in moments of uncertainty, and I appreciate Margaret’s important reminder that success isn’t instant.
Looking forward, I encourage you to follow Kate’s suggestion to support our teachers to continue teaching science and to make it exciting, fun and accessible for all. I have had the privilege of watching Kate explain electron activity to a hall full of secondary school girls and their parents. She had the audience’s full attention for the entire time that she took the stage. More importantly, they understood her teaching and they loved it!
Let’s also showcase our female role models in this space, and encourage and foster diversity in all its forms, not least by creating welcoming, collegial, and safe environments in which women and girls can participate in, and indeed excel in, science.
Mā te huruhuru ka rere te manu – Adorn the bird with feathers so it may soar.
