WOF is a movement focused on collaboration and kindness in the workplace, galvanising a community of women to work together as a new generation of talent across multiple sectors and industries. Learn more about the inspiring and high-achieving women who are part of our community.
I'm an Associate Scientist working in Process Chemistry, Drug Substance Development at GSK. My role entails designing and optimising chemical routes for the manufacturing of drug substances for potential new medicines as part of a multi-disciplinary matrix team.
Joining GSK as a Chemistry Apprentice at 18, I upskilled in areas including Process Chemistry, Continuous Manufacturing and Chemical Engineering whilst simultaneously gaining my FdSc in Applied Chemical Sciences. Post-apprenticeship, I was offered an Associate Scientist position and the opportunity to gain my full BSc.
I am also a committee member for the RSC’s Process Chemistry & Technology Group, handle Social Media & Communications Strategy for the Science Apprenticeship Forum, and do a lot of STEM outreach work with local schools to help inspire the next generation of scientists.
Tell us about the kindest person in your career and how they made a difference in your journey
I’ve been incredibly lucky to have come across so many kind people throughout my (admittedly short) career so far, each of whom have helped me to succeed in a variety of different ways.
However, the kindest person I’ve had the privilege of working with in my career is my long-term mentor, Richard Henson. Not only has he taught me everything he knows to make me the best chemist that I could possibly be (including using some very weird and wacky analogies to teach me chemical principles- the Circle Line is a particular favourite of mine!) but he has also gone above and beyond to support me in some of my toughest times (which has at times included teary late-night calls about university work). He is also a huge part of the reason for my success to date, patiently introducing me to the way a laboratory works, instilling me with confidence, giving me the courage to take every opportunity which comes my way and even being the one to nominate me for a WOF award. Without a doubt, I wouldn’t be half the chemist or woman I am today without Rich, and I will be forever grateful to be able to call Rich a friend.
If you could invite two people to dinner (dead or alive!) who would they be and why?
This is a tough one as I’d love to be able to have a full-blown dinner party full of people who inspire me!
I’d love to have a conversation with Dr Merritt Moore around how ballet and the arts have influenced and inspired her research in quantum physics and robotics but equally how she has managed to find a balance between having a career in both quantum physics and professional ballet.
I’m also a bit of a musical theatre nerd so I’d love to explore how Lin Manuel Miranda develops melodies and characters using inspiration from the world around him and his own experiences. I think that it would be such a fascinating conversation.
What is your advice for women who are interested in or have just started in your field?
Be curious! The nature of science is to learn and explore so ask plenty of questions and don’t be afraid to challenge pre-existing processes for new ideas! Creativity is how science evolves and new perspectives are important!
A tip you’d give yourself in the most challenging moment of your career
Slow down, take a breath, go back to the basics and trust your instincts. Taking the time to put everything you know down on paper often helps to put everything into perspective and a lot of times the answer is right in front of you without you knowing it!
A book everyone should read and a movie everyone should watch
A book(s) everyone should read: One of my absolute must reads is Rebel Ideas by Matthew Syed as a reminder of the power that diversity brings to the table in any organisation.
If non-fiction books aren’t your thing I also love any books by Jodi Picoult however, Mad Honey By Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan was a compelling read which tackled an array of difficult subjects in a beautifully accessible and poignant way.
A movie everyone should watch: A particular favourite of mine is The Intern as it’s a good reminder that help, support and perspective can come from the most unlikely of people and places (plus who doesn’t love a feel-good film with both Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro in it?).
Carlotta is an international partnership expert, keynote speaker, business consultant and career coach. After leaving her Italian hometown at 19, Carlotta started her international journey in Scotland via Silicon Valley, NYC and Sweden before entering the London corporate tech scene working for companies such as Oracle and Shopify. Outside her corporate role, Carlotta is a Board Member and an enthusiastic mentor for women-centric networks. She also works as a Tech Career Coach for School16, a NYC-based startup that helps people from all over the world get into tech, regardless of their background. An advocate for social mobility and equal opportunities, she can often be found on stages to guide and inspire people in their journeys of growth.
I am Liv, co-founder of Fluus, which has developed and launched the world's first fully flushable period pad. 100% biodegradable, 100% microplastic-free and zero waste, our flushable pad is designed to be used like your usual pads and flushed away to degrade away just like your toilet paper.
I started my career as a doctor, and the seeds of Fluus were sown in my penultimate year at medical school where I met my co-founder Aaron, when both of us were driven to reduce permanent waste in our lives. I went full-time into Fluus in 2019 and hope to remove permanent waste from your bathroom and our planet.
I am the Co-Founder of luna, the world's first digital health companion for teens. Mood, skin, pain, sleep and cycle tracking, medically-backed content, plus anonymous questions all serve one purpose: empowering teens, making their growth a less lonely, confusing and anxious experience.
I started my career as a Management Consultant at Deloitte, before moving to work at Boden, the fashion retailer. In 2020, I decided to go back to university to pursue my MBA. It was at Oxford University Said Business School that I met Jas, my Co-Founder, and we started luna.
love being able to do lots of different things and tie together a very interdisciplinary approach. Getting to speak to lots of different people and helping them on their journey is also pretty cool. As I’m a creative practitioner, my practice involves a portfolio career. I am an accredited relational dynamics coach and I love helping people feel empowered to work on obstacles. I am a freelance journalist so being able to report and share stories and give insight on how the world works is very nourishing. And then being able to write and produce and assist with other projects is something that allows me to learn and be useful to the world.
I get to work on products used by billions of people globally, and help businesses access secure and sustainable technology for a better future. Knowing that I can play a role (no matter how small) in making the world a better place, is what gives me joy.
Creating. Seeing the spark of an idea/design/innovation right through to holding the end product in your hands or bumping into someone wearing it on the beach.
It’s never a straightforward process but actually creating something from scratch and bringing it to life gives me so much pleasure.
Day to day, I love it when I see a story fall into place, whether in my own work or one of my team’s. We spend our time analysing data and other information to understand everything going on and interpret the implications, and the moment when everything comes together is so satisfying. I’m also fortunate in my job to be able to help drive PRUK’s diversity and inclusion agenda - something incredibly important to me - including co-founding Libra, a new network for women and allies, with three amazing colleagues to support the pursuit of gender equity in our workplace.
I learn something new everyday. As a journalist, I often find myself being thrown into the deep end when news breaks and I love that it gives me the opportunity to learn new things and develop new skills everyday.
I also love my job because of the people around me. I am so lucky to be surrounded by very talented and very kind people and that makes this journey even more worthwhile.
I have two favourites – the first is people. I’m very fortunate to have wonderful, dedicated and committed colleagues who really believe in what we’re doing to improve the built environment, making it safer and more sustainable. Secondly, I love a challenge and in this fast-paced changing world, there is always one in front of me.
The best part of any job for me is the people and the culture. If you’re surrounded by brilliant people who can challenge, motivate, and inspire you you’re onto a winner.
Joining GSK as a Chemistry Apprentice at 18, I upskilled in areas including Process Chemistry, Continuous Manufacturing and Chemical Engineering whilst simultaneously gaining my FdSc in Applied Chemical Sciences. Post-apprenticeship, I was offered an Associate Scientist position and the opportunity to gain my full BSc.
I am also a committee member for the RSC’s Process Chemistry & Technology Group, handle Social Media & Communications Strategy for the Science Apprenticeship Forum, and do a lot of STEM outreach work with local schools to help inspire the next generation of scientists.
However, the kindest person I’ve had the privilege of working with in my career is my long-term mentor, Richard Henson. Not only has he taught me everything he knows to make me the best chemist that I could possibly be (including using some very weird and wacky analogies to teach me chemical principles- the Circle Line is a particular favourite of mine!) but he has also gone above and beyond to support me in some of my toughest times (which has at times included teary late-night calls about university work). He is also a huge part of the reason for my success to date, patiently introducing me to the way a laboratory works, instilling me with confidence, giving me the courage to take every opportunity which comes my way and even being the one to nominate me for a WOF award. Without a doubt, I wouldn’t be half the chemist or woman I am today without Rich, and I will be forever grateful to be able to call Rich a friend.
I’d love to have a conversation with Dr Merritt Moore around how ballet and the arts have influenced and inspired her research in quantum physics and robotics but equally how she has managed to find a balance between having a career in both quantum physics and professional ballet.
I’m also a bit of a musical theatre nerd so I’d love to explore how Lin Manuel Miranda develops melodies and characters using inspiration from the world around him and his own experiences. I think that it would be such a fascinating conversation.
If non-fiction books aren’t your thing I also love any books by Jodi Picoult however, Mad Honey By Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan was a compelling read which tackled an array of difficult subjects in a beautifully accessible and poignant way.
A movie everyone should watch: A particular favourite of mine is The Intern as it’s a good reminder that help, support and perspective can come from the most unlikely of people and places (plus who doesn’t love a feel-good film with both Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro in it?).