Biotech leaders weigh in on bringing more women into the industry
Data from the 2019 U.S. Census Bureau reveals that while women make up over half of the workforce in the country, they only make up 27% of those employed in STEM professions. This was a topic of discussion in a recent Puget Sound Business Journal “Women Who Lead” event, which featured a variety of perspectives from female biotech professionals.
Seattle-based biotech executives, Caren Tidwell, vice president of grants and contracts at Just-Evotec, Connie Ortega, vice president of operations and product at Ozette Technologies, SEngine co-founder and CEO Carla Crandori and Kayla Young, chief operating officer of Seattle-based Phase Genomics all shared experiences and advice on being a woman in the field. According to Life Science Washington’s most recent Economic Impact Report, women make up about 44% of the life science workforce in the state.
“I think it’s just a matter of women entering the pipeline and feeling successful and feeling that anyone can do it,” said Caren Tidwell, vice president of grants and contracts Just-Evotec Biologics. “Anyone can be successful in these careers. It takes time.”