Empowering Early Career Women Scientists: ICARDA at the Women in Wheat Training Workshop in Norwich

By Dr. Anna Backhaus, ICARDA Cereals Scientist and alumnus of JIC and the WIW training program

The attendance of the ICARDA members at the workshop was possible through the support of the Rosalind Franklin Women in Wheat Champions program, which is funded by The Royal Society and BBSRC, with additional funding kindly provided by PhenomUK.  

Three ICARDA early-career scientists attended a 2-day career development workshop at the prestigious John Innes Centre in Norwich, England. The training covered key aspects of managing science projects and included a focus on removing gender bias in research.  

The John Innes Centre (JIC) in Norwich, England, is renowned for its plant, microbe, and agricultural scientific research. However, the center has also made significant strides in championing gender balance and female representation, for example, through a dedicated focus on promoting women researchers in wheat science. Professor Diane Saunders, the driving force behind the Women in Wheat (WIW) network, initiated and developed a unique program, which has been supported by the Royal Society Rosalind Franklin Award since last year. The award expanded the WIW mentoring and training program to include women scientists from beyond JIC, including three early-career scientists from ICARDA.