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“Women in Science” Compendium A STORYTELLING SHOWCASE Women in Science Women in science: a storytelling showcase ISBN 978-92-4-002189-1 (electronic version) ISBN 978-92-4-002190-7 (print version) © World Health Organization 2021 Some rights reserved. This work is available under the Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 IGO licence (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO; https://creativecommons. org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/igo). Under the terms of this licence, you may Third-party materials. If you wish to reuse copy, redistribute and adapt the work for non- material from this work that is attributed to a third commercial purposes, provided the work is party, such as tables, figures or images, it is your appropriately cited, as indicated below. In any responsibility to determine whether permission is use of this work, there should be no suggestion needed for that reuse and to obtain permission that WHO endorses any specific organization, from the copyright holder. The risk of claims products or services. The use of the WHO logo resulting from infringement of any third-party- is not permitted. If you adapt the work, then owned component in the work rests solely with you must license your work under the same or the user. equivalent Creative Commons licence. If you create a translation of this work, you should add General disclaimers. The designations the following disclaimer along with the suggested employed and the presentation of the material citation: “This translation was not created by the in this publication do not imply the expression World Health Organization (WHO). WHO is not of any opinion whatsoever on the part of WHO responsible for the content or accuracy of this concerning the legal status of any country, translation. The original English edition shall be the territory, city or area or of its authorities, or binding and authentic edition”. concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted and dashed lines on maps Any mediation relating to disputes arising under represent approximate border lines for which there the licence shall be conducted in accordance may not yet be full agreement. with the mediation rules of the World Intellectual Property Organization (http://www.wipo.int/amc/ The mention of specific companies or of certain en/mediation/rules/). manufacturers’ products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by WHO in Suggested citation. Women in science: a preference to others of a similar nature that are not storytelling showcase. Geneva: World Health mentioned. Errors and omissions excepted, the Organization; 2021. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO. names of proprietary products are distinguished by initial capital letters. Cataloguing-in-Publication (CIP) data. CIP data are available at http://apps.who.int/iris. All reasonable precautions have been taken by WHO to verify the information contained in this Sales, rights and licensing. To purchase WHO publication. However, the published material is publications, see http://apps.who.int/bookorders. being distributed without warranty of any kind, To submit requests for commercial use and queries either expressed or implied. The responsibility for on rights and licensing, see http://www. who.int/ the interpretation and use of the material lies with about/licensing. the reader. In no event shall WHO be liable for damages arising from its use. 2 TDRG WOMAN IN RESEARCH COMPENDIUM | 2021 PLEASE CLICK ON THE PROFILES TO READ MORE Contents Preface iv - Dr Atupele Kapito-Tembo 20 Introduction to TDR Global 01 - Professor Mary Ann Lansang 22 Introduction to the compendium 02 - Professor Lenore Manderson 26 Profiles - Dr Apio Brenda Okech 29 - Professor Pascale Allotey 05 - Dr Atinuke Olaleye 31 - Professor Uche Amazigo 08 - Professor Hannah Opokua Akuffo 33 - Dr Clara Atieno Agutu 12 - Dr Lyda Osorio 35 - Professor Jacqueline Azumi Badaki 14 - Dr Ewurama D.a. Owusu 39 - Dr Razia Fatima 16 - Professor Rosanna Peeling 41 - Dr Margaret Gyapong 18 In Closing 46 iii Preface TDR Global Compendium researchers. Women researchers and scientists A selection of passionate journeys in have a lot to bring to the table, just like their research and science men colleagues, and this compendium aims to showcase their strides and sacrifices. I was exposed to scientific research from a young age, seeing first-hand how labs and A particular word of thanks goes to TDR experimental research worked thanks to my Global’s senior expert advisors for their father’s career in genetics. During medical continued passion and dedicated contribution school, I was drawn to working with children to TDR over a great number of years. Professor and helping those who did not have a voice— Hannah Akuffo, Professor Lenore Manderson, perhaps something I’ve inherited from my Professor Mary Ann Lansang, Professor Pascale mother, a remarkable woman who instilled a Allotey, Professor Rosanna Peeling, and sense of responsibility and empathy in me and Professor Uche Amazigo—we salute you. You my two sisters. can also find their stories in the compendium. After studying and working abroad, in May you find hope, wisdom, and knowledge 1991 I returned to India, where I worked in these pages, and the courage to use your on tuberculosis research. The disease was expertise in the pursuit of lifting up those who responsible for respiratory illness and mortality need it most. amongst adults and children, and there were many hurdles to overcome while working in “Thank you to all the women featured in this field. Working at the National Institute for the compendium for sharing your stories Research in Tuberculosis (NIRT) in Chennai – sometimes, even challenging stories to revealed the immense potential that research reflect on.” has in tackling TB. However, scientific research should not be conducted in isolation; researchers, practitioners and policy makers should work together and build collaborations to fight diseases. That is precisely what TDR Global is here for—finding experts and building collaborations. I had the pleasure of working as a coordinator at TDR from 2009 to 2011, and over the years, I have seen TDR Global grow into a vibrant worldwide community of passionate scientists and researchers from all walks of life with different skill sets, interests and knowledge. This community will always be rooted in collaboration, mentoring and knowledge sharing. In this compendium, you will find many inspiring stories from TDR Global’s women in research and science around the globe. DR SOUMYA SWAMINATHAN WHO Chief Scientist. TDR Special We focused on women’s journeys to inspire and Programme Coordinator invigorate the next generation of scientists and iv WATCH VIDEO TDR Global https://bit.ly/3re30KH For over 40 years, TDR has been working hard at tapestry transforms into a colourful picture or fighting infectious diseases of poverty, engaging beautiful design with intricate details. researchers and experts from all over the world in its efforts. Each individual brings unique TDR Global is exceptional in the same way as knowledge, and together they make up a vibrant the colourful patterns on a tapestry because we scientific community called TDR Global. are a combination of many unique individuals. Each member has their own expertise, culture, TDR Global is committed to driving and and background, creating a bigger, more encouraging mentoring of young scientists and powerful picture. Despite the complexity of the fostering research collaborations. bigger picture, it connects us all in our shared field of interest. However, you may wonder: We connect expert mentors with young scientists, local research communities with How can such a global and regional networks, and a shared, diverse group of people golden thread holds all of this together: form a community? A commitment to fight Picture a single tapestry thread that can be woven into many rows. Naturally, this single diseases of poverty thread has its limitations as it cannot create through research and pictures or patterns on its own. If you add more threads, carefully weaving the thin fibres, the innovation. INTRODUCTION TO TDR GLOBAL 1 Meet some of the brilliant women woven into our tapestry The TDR Global tapestry consists of many Confident, strong women on their way to unique individuals working in the research and greatness. science field—intelligent, courageous individuals with a thirst to join our fight against diseases On the following pages, you will share in their of poverty. One such thread in our tapestry journeys, challenges, and opportunities. You belongs to our women scientists—adding their will read about the power of mentorship and unique expertise, culture, and backgrounds to learn how these remarkable scientists navigated enrich the bigger picture. motherhood, marriage, cultural responsibilities, and their careers. We created a collection of inspiring stories to showcase the incredible work of a range of By reading how they bravely overcame women scientists. The vision of this TDR Global obstacles in our shared fight against diseases of compendium is to motivate those working in the poverty, you will see how women are continually field by sharing success stories of these women adding to their fields of research and the in research. immense strides they have taken to help achieve TDR’s vision. It all started a few years ago when TDR interviewed a group of women scientists we We believe that these women’s stories have a have supported at some point in their careers to rightful place in the history of scientific research. track their progress and careers since. With this compendium, we decided to go one step further and re-interviewed the women from the original group of interviewees to get in-depth knowledge of their one-of-a-kind journeys as women in science. These scientists come from several locations—Colombia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland (Eswatini), Uganda, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, to name a few.
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