r/LadiesofScience

I’m curious about this from both a general and personal perspective:

If you’ve participated in a clinical trial, how was your experience in terms of trust, information, and support?

If you haven’t, what would influence your decision to join or not join one?

More broadly, what do you think builds or reduces trust in medical research today, past experiences, transparency, side effects, representation, media, or something else?

Science has a history of favoring specific groups of people. In 1977, Dr. Louise Chow's EM studies were instrumental in the discovery of RNA splicing. Yet in 1993, she was excluded from the Nobel Prize for the discovery. Despite this, she continued to change science. Her work with HPV unlocked mysterious of the cancer causing virus and helped influence vaccine and treatments.

While the Nobel committee may have overlooked her, the Titans of Virology and Vaccinology Podcast was lucky enough to get to hear her story. Like many great women in science, it is time for her moment.

I’m a recent pharmacy graduate exploring careers in life sciences and would love to hear your experiences. Women in your 20s how’s your job going?
If you’re comfortable sharing, please mention your age, role, general location (country or region), years of experience, and salary (optional).

I’m a 30F postdoctoral researcher currently six months into my position. When I started this role, I initially planned to begin trying for a baby early in the postdoc, but I postponed this due to some circumstances. I am now reconsidering that plan.

Professionally, my postdoc is going well, and I feel settled and confident in my current responsibilities. My work is primarily research-focused, with some student mentoring, and I feel I could continue managing this effectively even during pregnancy.

At the same time, I’m thinking about my next career step and whether I should start applying for Assistant Professor positions. I feel ready to progress in my career, but I’m also aware that a faculty role would bring significantly increased responsibilities, including teaching, supervision, grant writing, and administrative duties.

One additional consideration is that my current salary is already comparable to what I would expect in an entry-level Assistant Professor position, so the financial difference is not a major deciding factor.

One thing that weighs heavily on my mind is career progression. Academia often feels like a field where taking a break can have long-term career consequences, and that thought honestly feels overwhelming. Because of that, I'm not really considering delaying family planning for several more years simply to avoid career interruptions. Instead, I'm trying to figure out which stage of my career would be the most manageable to combine with starting a family.

I would really appreciate hearing from women who have been in a similar situation. If you were deciding between staying in a postdoc while planning for a baby or moving into a faculty position first, what influenced your decision? Looking back, is there anything you wish you had considered that wasn't obvious at the time?

I'd especially appreciate hearing about practical considerations (workload, maternity leave, tenure expectations, institutional support, partner support, childcare, etc.) as well as anything you wish someone had told you before making the decision.

Just looking for a bit of advice here. I'm hoping to start trying for a baby in the next 6 months, but I'm also working with a few others to propose a special issue in a journal and possibly organise a workshop/symposium at a conference next year. The timing is such that I'd likely be on maternity leave when the conference is on and during the editing phase of the special issue (as long as we don't have difficulties conceiving). Would you take this into consideration when committing to something like that, or should I just carry on as is and not talk to anyone about it until I'm actually pregnant? For context I'm a postdoc and the others are all senior researchers.

Hello,

I think as fellow women in science we face significant problems in academia and university where we experience discrimination or undermining. Moreso women are expected to be nurturing and empathetic which is not supposed to be part of the job. I wanted to share some of my experiences that I think are problematic but are not reported or not visible enough to be taken seriously. It's particularly lonely because it doesn't reach the boundary of se****al harassment but forces onto you a position of confidant or emotional partner, with a person who has significant power over your grades thus your future. Since it's never spoken outloud, you don't give your consent and if you distance yourself you experience retaliation.

I have noticed a pattern where professors or supervisors who are culturally displaced, class defectors or just stressed-out feel some sort of loneliness, exhaustion or marginalisation in their community, forced onto me a position of confidant. They were in their 40s and I was in my early 20s.

I am a women with multiple disadvantages and I have joined elite institutions. I was always noticed by professors for standing out a bit.

The first time I have experienced this it was with a professor of color who claimed to be a class defector. So at multiple time he came to me talking about his life experience for being a class defector, as if he was sharing with me common life experience, with sadness whereas I was just a 19 year old, I didn't experience any of the things he was talking about. I didn't understand the concept of class defector at that time as I was not accustomed to sociology, it forced me to think about it. I was in a very fast-paced program where I needed to work a lot. He also said out loud, in front of other classmates, the private informations I gave to institutions for enrollment, he went to check it on the institution database. During that time, he would come to talk to me with a overtly friendly demanour as if he was mentoring me or helping me while he was projecting his own life and stereotypes on to me and he was also pushing me toward the less competitive programs without taking the time to know me, to let me proove myself or my abilities. Moreover I didn't share his feelings or his experience of life so I couldn't understand what he was saying, to me it seemed illogical and intrusive. He looked relieved to find an outlet and behaving like a mentor while giving me unsolicited advices. I felt really uncomfortable because at that time to me he looked like he was falling in love, probably a sort of savior complex. I had to shout at him for him to leave and it put me in a very uncomfortable position in the institution and I was breaking one of the social codes.

This exact same pattern of behaviour happened to me thrice. The worst part is I was always seen as the bad person who was refusing the kindness of a well-meaning benevolent professor.

It really makes my skin crawl when I think about it, it took a lot of my energy to manage those men, the energy I could have used in the program. It aslo creeps me out to have been forced into a wife/mother/therapist like position where I didn't wanted to share my emotional or private life with those men but they were coercing me to do so. I don't know if this testimony could help or make people realise that this is not an acceptable behaviour or improve academia because I feel like the changes are not significant enough. Implementing a quota for having more women in science is not enough, the system need to change.

One of those professor, after a six months internship, where he was constantly using me as a therapist, told me multiple times at the end of the internship,"you are talented I see students" after stalling my progress.

This must be asked a lot, but i want to weigh in my situation. I am set to defend my PhD in mid-November and i plan to do postdoc right away or few months later, that if i could find a job. Also, id be doing my postdoc abroad. In these circumstances, when is it a good time to start a family?

Edit: i’m 29 and would love to have two children

Hiya, I'm 34F senior postdoc and in a bit of an odd situation with my PI, and I'd really appreciate some outside perspective.

I'm due to start a new postdoc in a couple of months with "Keith" (41M) as my PI. Keith has only been a PI for about three years, but I've known him for almost ten. He was a postdoc in "Jim's" lab, where I did my PhD.

When Jim retired, he still had active grants and staff (including me). Keith inherited one of those grants, along with Jim's lab space and equipment, and that grant was almost entirely based on my PhD research. That grant has now ended, and I'll be moving onto a new position with Keith as my PI continuing my research.

For years, Keith has been incredibly supportive. He helped build my confidence as a scientist during my PhD, has always been generous with his time, and has been someone I've turned to both for scientific advice and for the occasional life or career pep talk when my impostor syndrome gets the better of me. He's very much the "lab therapist" - everyone goes to him to vent - and I was genuinely thrilled when he got his own group because I think he's a brilliant scientist and a kind person.

The problem is that the last three years have been... difficult.

Because Keith inherited Jim's funding, equipment, and space, he was able to recruit several PhD students almost immediately. The first was "Regina."

Regina is very confident, outspoken, and opinionated, which aren't bad traits in themselves. The issue is that Keith is an extreme people-pleaser who cannot to say no to anyone. He himself says he's spineless.

Regina would spend hours every day chatting with Keith - not just about science, but about anything - and he'd constantly end up behind on his own work.

Our lab has always had a culture where everyone chips in with the boring jobs: ordering, tidying, shared equipment, admin, etc. Regina decided none of that was her responsibility. Worse, she'd actively tell the newer PhD students not to help either.

Another senior postdoc and I repeatedly raised this with Keith. His response was always some variation of, "Just let it go. It's not your responsibility."

Which... yes, exactly. It's his responsibility. But because he wouldn't address it, everyone else had to pick up the slack.

I tried introducing simple rotas to spread these jobs fairly. When Regina refused to do her assigned jobs, Keith told me people don't like being told what to do and that, as "just a postdoc," I had no authority over PhD students.

Fair enough about my authority, but "people don't like being told what to do?" It's a workplace! Besides, I was asking people for help because I was overwhelmed trying to do these tasks that are his responsibility to manage.

The social side became even worse.

Regina effectively created an "us and them" culture. Although we all shared the same office and lab, she'd organise pub trips with Keith and the other students without inviting any of Jim's old group. They even started socialising with another collaborating lab, again without ever mentioning it to us.

If we invited them to anything, they wouldn't come.

We used to celebrate everyone's birthday with cake and a card in the office. Now, if it's someone from Jim's old group, everyone still signs the card and we have cake in the office. If it's one of Keith's students, they only pass the card among themselves, then disappear into another room with Keith to have cake separately.

The justification was that they wanted to establish an independent lab identity.

The problem is, they're not independent! Keith's lab was almost entirely dependent on Jim's remaining grant money, equipment, reagents, and infrastructure. He also leaned heavily on Jim's former group - including me - for grant ideas, preliminary data, and even drafting applications because he was struggling to balance supervising students with writing grants.

Meanwhile, his students, largely led by Regina, barely acknowledged our existence - not even saying hello or goodbye.

Privately, Keith remained exactly the same person he'd always been with me: encouraging, thoughtful, happy to discuss ideas, and supportive whenever I was struggling. When I finally told him how much the exclusion was damaging morale, all he said was, "Yeah, I think Regina is making my life difficult with that."

Then... he did absolutely nothing.

I hate admitting this at 34, but the atmosphere genuinely affected me. It got to the point where I accepted a temporary job in another lab while waiting to hear about funding to continue my own research with Keith.

When that funding came through, I had very mixed feelings. I was excited to continue the science, but I dreaded returning to what felt like an increasingly toxic environment.

A couple of weeks ago, I heard - confidentially - that Regina had requested a different supervisor.

I was honestly relieved. I assumed Keith had finally put his foot down.

Apparently not.

Yesterday, I heard that the rumour mill thinks that Keith and Regina had fallen out because Keith cheated on his wife with her, Keith hadn't left his wife, and Regina reported it to HR.

I don't know whether that's true, and I don't want to make decisions based on gossip.

But at this point, it almost doesn't matter if the rumour is true.

Even before hearing it, I'd already been asking myself, "How can I work for someone I'm losing more and more respect for every day?"

Honestly, I've thought for a while that I'd actually be ashamed to be thought of as a member of Keith's lab - it's one thing that drove me to take the job in a different lab.

To complicate things, I also feel indebted to him. He's never personally treated me badly. Quite the opposite - he's been consistently kind, supportive, and instrumental in my development as a scientist.

At the same time, I've become increasingly frustrated that a collaborator that I introduced for my research always contacts Keith rather than me, even though the project is in my area of expertise, not his. Keith always forwards the email to me, but the collaborator still emails Keith and doesn’t cc me.

This also isn't the first time Keith has developed unusually close relationships with PhD students. Before becoming a PI, he was already known for becoming very emotionally involved in mentoring students because of his "lab therapist" role.

Now I'm worrying about my own reputation.

Do other people just see another one of Keith's harem (albeit, one that's too old for him)? Someone just hangs around him rather than an independent researcher? The irony is that the funding that launched his lab was actually built on my PhD work.

I've also worried before that my friendship with Keith could look inappropriate from the outside because I've confided in him about personal things and I have cried on him over unrelated life problems.

However, one of the things I've confided in him about is that I'm not straight. I'm not fully ready to be compleltey out at work, though. However, this means that he and I know that my friendship with him is entirely innocent, and there's no romantic intent from my side. That's also one reason I'm reluctant to believe the affair rumours outright - I know firsthand that he's capable of having friendships with women that aren't romantic.

So at this point, I could really use some advice. Do I continue working with someone who has always treated me well but whose leadership I've increasingly lost confidence in? Or is this the point where I should cut my losses?

I'd really appreciate any thoughts, especially from people who've been in difficult PI relationships.

Hi all, I will be going on a research cruise in the Arctic for 6 weeks this summer and have recieved some funding to buy personal gear necessary for participation on the cruise. Because I have enough funding, I am hoping to buy nice enough gear that will last a while. I've never been on a research cruise before and I'm not sure what exactly people normally wear. I'll just be doing multibeam mapping so, won't be participating in much deck work. For instance, I've been told to bring a good shell. Is buying an offshore sailing jacket and bib from Helly Hansen or Gill Marine too much? or is stuff of that calibre normal aboard research vessels?

Additionally, is there anything that you've forgotten to bring on a vessel and wished you had and/or vice versa you brought it but you really didnt need it?

Hi everyone. I'm a woman starting my bachelors soon and I could really use some guidance. I know its hard to find mentors, especially if you don't have any accolades under your belt. I'm very confused about where to go next in my career and what to do and I'd appreciate the help. I really don't want to just take anyone's time without giving back so I do want to help in any capacity I can. I'd be willing to assist with research and be useful to you. I'm not sure how it will work but I do want our partnership to be mutually beneficial. I'm very ambitious and I have a lot of dreams I want to achieve but my life was derailed unfortunately. I desperately want to get back on track and I'd love to hear from woc in academia or industry, especially a black woman. I know this is a long shot but I'm really interested and dedicated and I'm willing to put in work.

Does anyone have any workplace appropriate swimsuit/fast dry clothing recommendations that are comfortable enough to wear during all day fieldwork? And not too hot if they don't get wet? Also need to still be able to squat and pee without exposing myself like in a one piece lol.

I work in fisheries and am starting a new position with fieldwork that tends to get real toasty in the summertime. I do have some heat intolerance and would love to comfortably be able to get in the water on days we are in suitable locations. I usually just wear quick dry shorts and sun shirts over a normal bathing suit, but I'm curious about other options.

Also, I thought I remembered there being a sub for women in environmental science/fieldwork? Or women's work/outdoor clothing?

Hey everyone 👋 I am a microplastic researcher currently studying the effects of plastic ingestion in aquatic organisms. I am super excited to share the work I do and answer any questions people may have about them!!

To see more of my work and behind the scenes lab content follow my insta:hayleeisabellah

Hi All,

I mainly just need a space to vent. I’m currently 6 months pregnant, and I know many lady scientists have done this many times before, but I feel like my situation is hopeless. A little bit of background: I’m in the US (Northern California). My commute to and from work is brutal (racking up 124 miles a day on my car), and my exhaustion level is through the roof. I was obviously able to tolerate this pre-pregnancy (with some bad days), and during pregnancy, it’s been worse, and I can’t even imagine what life would look like once baby is here. My time in a day is spent at work and on the road, and I need more time at home. A lot of my friends who are mothers actually found the working from home has helped a lot with the first few years of raising their child, especially that first crucial year. It’s been hard for me to find work from home positions for my level (I’m an associate scientist aka still the “minion level” as I like to call it…minions work in lab so director levels can work from home lol). Some people ask, “why not move closer to work? “The answer being that my mortgage is way cheaper than the shoe box studio apartment I used to live in near the area. (The housing market is shit, especially in California, and I’m not giving up one of the best things we have in life, our house, which is much more stable than any biotech job at this point). The only downside to that is lack of job opportunities near my area. I could always switch to manufacturing or food industry as that seems to be what is in my area and possibly could also pivot too as an analytical chemist. I feel a little bit stuck, and it’s come to a point where I’m ready to even just change my career entirely. I guess, what did you guys do? Or is there any advice about finding a remote (or even hybrid) role for someone in my level (no PhD, just my masters)?

I am curious to hear if anyone started a career in science research, or technical work, after 40. I have an undergraduate degree in life sciences and a Masters in science policy and communication, plus a lot of years in institutes and science research charities writing reports and analysing papers. But I'm tired of slinging words back and forth. And I also think AI has come for my job.

I miss learning and I have not lost my curiosity for various topics across zoology and microbiology. Money is no longer a limiting issue and in the future, I might be able to get by fine with just a modest-paying job. But what could I realistically do? Is there any research path which would be hands on, require a lot of technical learning, and take me interesting places? Can anyone share ideas or experiences?

Hi guys! I come from an extremely informal country. I will be presenting my research for the first time in Ireland. I do tend to have a more fun sense of style but since it’s my first time, I’m not sure if I will be taken seriously wearing that kind of stuff. What is generally worn by women to these events? How modest or ‘fancy’ do I need to be (please be specific because in my country wearing nice jeans is fancy LOL). Can I wear a dress or sleeveless? Is it beneficial to wear something memorable? Additionally, there is some kind of conference dinner and awards event, which I’m not sure if I’m expected to attend, and if so, if I’m expected to dress nicely.

I can share some photos of what I could wear if necessary. Thanks!

I'm 16F(12th grade) Indian student who is interested in biology and initially I thought that the highest paying career in this field would be being a doctor and started preparing for the entrance but in 11th grade I realized that I don't want to be a doctor at all so I won't be giving the entrance after 12th

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I am searching career paths in biology that also pay really well and I came across biotechnology. In my country there is zero scope for any R&D career but I heard abroad there is scope.

My ultimate goal is to go abroad no matter what .

So I thought I would do a bsc biotechnology in my country then do a MS/MBA biotechnology dual degree which will help me get an industry job that combines science and business BUT people on reddit say that this path isn't even correct. I will have to gain experience by working to get into a top US MBA program and without job experience I can't even get into the business side of biotech, they say the dual degree is not worth it, etc

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What am I supposed to do I'm so frickin confused. This is what I think about all day. I can't focus on anything, I'm depressed asf

Why would they hire me and give me visa sponsorship when they can just hire an American?

The job market is so fucked, they say academia isn't really a good career atm, I'm so stressed idk what to do

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If someone has knowledge about this PLEASE help me