Being a successful leader
Globally, according to UNESCO, women account for only 30% of researchers in science.
Their participation in leadership and decision-making positions is even lower. To support this important agenda, the WHO Nursing and Midwifery Global Community of Practice (NMGoP) will host a Person in the Spotlight session with the Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization, Dr Soumya Swaminathan.
Dr Swaminathan, a paediatrician from India who is globally recognized for her research on tuberculosis and HIV, brings with her over 30 years’ experience in not only clinical care and research but also leadership. Her career has focused on bringing science and evidence-based practice into health policy-making. Dr Swaminathan comes with a wealth of accolades including publishing over 350 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. She was also elected Foreign Fellow of the US National Academy of Medicine and of three science academies in India.
During the session, Dr Swaminathan will talk about how she came to be the first Chief Scientist at the World Health Organization and what advice she would give to future leaders of nursing and midwifery around the world.
She will explain what shaped her early career choices and the challenges she faced along the way. She will also discuss the importance she places on mentorship and talk about some of her early influences when she was starting out on in her career.