YORK Biotech Campus (YBC), Yorkshire’s leading bioscience hub, is celebrating International Women’s Day on March 8, by spotlighting the achievements of women in STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
In line with this year’s theme, Accelerate Action, YBC is showcasing the stories of successful women working at the science park to encourage others to explore careers in science and contribute to advancing gender equality.
YBC spoke to some of the women based at the campus to hear about their experiences, career highlights and valuable advice to inspire the next generation of women pursuing careers in STEM.
Stephanie Flint, Abingdon Health
Stephanie Flint is the operations technical manager at Abingdon Health, a lateral flow technology company. Abingdon Health develops and manufactures lateral flow tests, and Stephanie provides technical support to the operations team, troubleshooting routine products and contributing to product improvements or changes. After completing an industrial placement as part of her Applied Biology degree at YBC, Stephanie was offered a position with the same team and has now been at the campus for 18 years.
Biggest achievement? “Working onsite throughout the pandemic was quite the challenge but extremely rewarding given we were manufacturing lateral flow tests, which were vital at the time. I have also had the opportunity to work abroad in a laboratory in France, and at Queen’s University in Belfast.”
Advice to others? “Do what you enjoy and persevere! Having some practical experience when you start your career is really beneficial, so if your university course offers work placements take up the offer. Having some lab experience puts you ahead when looking for roles.”
Dr Jessica Jones, at Cargill
Cargill leverage nature-derived ingredients to create low-carbon products across sectors, driven by climate urgency, regulations, and consumer demand for healthier, sustainable solutions. It’s Jessica Jones’s job as applications manager to manage teams of scientists generate industry-specific data on the performance of these products for its customers.
What do you love most about working in science? “It’s incredibly exciting. Our fields of research are constantly evolving, and I am passionate about learning new things every day. Witnessing advancements that meet our customers’ needs is particularly gratifying, as it demonstrates the tangible impacts of our work. Additionally, the collaborative environment in science communities fosters innovation and creativity. Working alongside such talented and dedicated individuals has been a source of inspiration and motivation.”
Advice to others? “Having a mentor is important. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want as demonstrating readiness is more effective than seeking permission. Put yourself out there, take the lead and learn from outcomes, even failures. And finally, always be yourself. Your unique skills are valuable and being comfortable with who you are makes others comfortable too.”
Bex Lawson, of Fera Science Ltd.
After studying her degree, Bex Lawson joined Fera as an assistant scientist in the nematology team 20 years ago, and has been there ever since. Now a senior nematologist and collections curator, her role includes taxonomic identification of nematodes (roundworms)to species, and curating the Fera nematode collection, producing and maintaining permanent slide material of nematodes as reference material for scientific study.
Favourite thing about working in science? “Constant learning and discovery. I love nematodes, they are amazing microscopic animals. I enjoy studying their biology and discovering species new to science.”
Career highlights? “Working and training with some of the world’s best taxonomists, such as Thomas Prior, Gerrit Karssen, and Wilfreda Decramer, to name a few. My biggest achievement is looking after the world’s largest nematode collection, ensuring it is available for future generations.”
For more information about York Biotech Campus, please visit: https://yorkbiotechcampus.com/
