AAPS Women in Pharmaceutical Sciences meeting 25FEB2025
Meeting Minutes
1. FDA & NIH Budget Cuts: Impact on Women in Science (15 minutes)
• Icebreaker (2 min): Ask attendees to share one word that describes their feelings about the budget cuts.
Shared replies: frustrated, eggshells, worrisome, loosing workforce, angry, concerned for long term effects.
• Discussion Topics:
• How do these budget cuts impact women-led research projects?
• Are there specific areas (e.g., grants, fellowships, career progression) that will be disproportionately affected?
With the large amount of DOGE firings of federal science employees there is a negative impact to the increase in the pool of applicants to pharma jobs. For women academics – specifically WIPS postdocs- this makes the application even more competitive. WIPS leadership encourages our membership to reach out to WIPS membership on LinkedIn to increase their network for help in internally routing applications.
• What strategies can we use to advocate for continued support for women scientists?
Amplify WIPS members who are actively searching for roles by posting for them on LinkedIn
· Action Step: Members who are actively job searching to post a short bio (headshot or science image optional) to WIPS Community board and WIPS members can copy paste to their networks.
· Action Step: Draft a collective statement or letter from the group advocating for funding of women-led initiatives and how ICR decreases can disproportionally impact academic positions held by women.
2. March: Highlighting Women in Science (15 minutes)
• Brainstorming Session:
• What are ways we can highlight the achievements of women in science this month?
Instead of posting historical women in STEM, highlight AAPS current membership by posting self nominated or other AAPS members who are supporting Women in STEM (could be a man who is known for this).
• Ideas could include social media spotlights, guest speakers, mentorship initiatives, or collaborative projects.
See Review of panels, podcasts and speakers for 2025 WIPS
• Rapid-Fire Idea Sharing: Go around the room and have each person share one practical way to celebrate and elevate women in science.
3. Mentoring call from WIPS
Leadership posted a mentoring post for WIPS members and we contacted by AAPS community lead that there is already a AAPS Mentoring Program that we are encouraged to have members apply to.
The discussion showed that of the WIPS members who were on the call that only one member was successfully matched with a mentor and it took a significant number of attempts and follow up to achive this match. Six members who were on the call indicated that they have applied at least once and often multiple times with zero follow up.
Leadership takes the action to follow up with AAPS community lead and the mentorship lead to provide this feedback. We will update membership with response from these people.
Given this has happened over the course of several years and is currently happening in the formal mentoring program, WIPS leadership will consider matching WIPS members as best as we can from those who participated in the form. This would be an attempt to make 1:1 matches that are free form for the mentor:mentee. Rules are if it works, keep it going. Check in after a few meetings and honestly answer if this working for both of you. If not, dissolve the agreement and we will try to help you find another match.
4. Wrap-Up & Action Commitments (5 minutes)
• Summarize key takeaways and actions.
1. Impact of federal cuts on ICR and federal roles will increase competition for corporate roles for women.
2. Amplification of WIPS members who are actively seeking roles though cross posting on AAPS communities as well as WIPS + social media.
3. Mentoring via AAPS program ineffective for lack of matches or responses. WIPS can fill the gap but does not intend to supplement the formal program.
• Assign volunteers for follow-ups on initiatives.
Sharon is collecting images for collages of WIPS members with this years International Women's Day (March 8th) pose (muscle pose one arm). Photos Due Feb 28th. Individual members are encouraged to post their individual photo to their Social Media accounts and tag @AAPS WIPS in LinkedIn as well as the #ForAllWomenAndGirls.
Consider this a way to add a few sentences that explain how you see yourself as a woman in science in 2025.
• motivational quote for woman in pharmaceutical sciences.
"One never notices what has been done; one can only see what remains to be done."- Marie Curie
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Julia Sable Ph.D.
Director CMC Project Management Viral Vector PDe
Kite Pharma
Ambler PA
[email protected]Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer.
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