Forbes
What STEM Companies Can Do To Build A More Gender-Balanced Workforce
By: MeiMei Fox
Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation is a non-profit organization that uses 100% of its donations to fund young scientists in pursuing innovative cancer research. Since its founding in 1946, the Foundation has invested over $360 million in funding more than 3,700 researchers. As the President and CEO of Damon Runyon, Dr. Yung S. Lie is making it her mission to promote STEM education and encourage more women to enter into science, technology, engineering, and math-related careers. She is well on her way. Today, approximately 42% of Damon Runyon’s 212 actively-funded scientists are women, which is well above the world average of 30%.
Lie began her connection with Damon Runyon in 2001 as a cancer researcher and recipient of a Damon Runyon Award, and is now the first-ever scientist to run the Foundation. She therefore brings a unique perspective to her role. Having experienced first-hand the struggles of being a woman in the traditionally male-dominated field of scientific research, Lie seeks to continue driving forward gender equity in STEM careers. She credits several female mentors with helping her get established early on.
STEM businesses can build a more gender-balanced workforce in these ways, says Lie:
As a company, practice early outreach to students in college and even as early as high school. It is our job to help young women become excited about pursuing careers in STEM. Create internship opportunities and mentoring events to bring young women into your organization and show them what is possible.
Encourage your current employees to actively engage in networking. While it can be awkward and uncomfortable, it is essential for building a stronger workforce. Your employees can help other women learn about professional opportunities in STEM by forging social connections with them.
Once women are brought on board to your organization, strong mentorship is critical. Pair new female hires with women who are more experienced. A good mentor should be engaged in the process and willing to spend time with her mentee. Provide company training in and reinforcement of good mentorship.
Lie always was interested in nature and science. Growing up in the suburbs of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, she spent summers exploring the great outdoors, bringing home insects, frogs, and baby birds along with rocks, plants, and flowers. Her father, originally from Indonesia, was an anesthesiologist who loved to tell his daughter stories about the research he did as a student in Jakarta. “He would light up when describing his studies on the toxicity of a tiger poison called walin, which was used by the indigenous people for hunting and had the potential to be used as a drug in humans,” Lie explains. “As I listened to him, I came to understand the process of scientific discovery. The idea of learning something that no one else in the world knew or understood carried an excitement and fascination that continues to inspire me to this day.”
During her first laboratory experience as an undergrad at the University of California, Berkeley, Lie realized she truly loved doing research. Surrounded by amazing mentors, almost all women, she went on to complete a Ph.D. in biological sciences from Stanford University, where she studied genetics and developmental biology. She then conducted postdoctoral research in neurobiology at the University of California, San Francisco, and at The Rockefeller University.
Later, at Damon Runyon, Lie left the academic research path to become an advocate and educator. She says, “I enjoy supporting our researchers and sharing their amazing breakthroughs with the world. These have included, to date, first identifying the link between smoking and lung cancer, curing a solid tumor through chemotherapy, and leading the clinical studies resulting in the first FDA-approved immunotherapy drug.”
In addition to “acting as a translator to share scientific news in an accessible and meaningful way,” Lie’s responsibilities include managing Damon Runyon’s six award programs, with an annual budget of approximately $18 million, and serving as the primary liaison between current and former award recipients, the Foundation, and its private donors and corporate sponsors. “I am incredibly fortunate to have a career that embodies my life purpose,” Lie says. “Each day, I am inspired by the many people I've touched through my work.”
To those looking to align their career with their life purpose, Lie offers this advice. “Don't let yourself be plagued by imposter syndrome. Believe in yourself and your abilities. Realize that failure is okay - it is a learning experience, and you will bounce back and be better and stronger as a result. But don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Stay close to mentors and friends who will guide you and support you even when there are challenges.”
MeiMei Fox is a New York Times bestselling author specializing in health, wellness and positive psychology. As a writer and life coach, she helps people align careers with their life purpose.
