BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Renowned leaders and scientists from top bio-pharma companies and academic research institutes will convene on Wednesday, November 14, 2018, at the Boston Marriott Cambridge to address the impact of the #MeToo Movement on life sciences and what positive actions the industry is taking to empower and mentor both women and men.
Senior industry leaders who will be speaking at the BVS “Women Breaking the Barriers of Science and their Male Champions” event include, Harry Barnett, Lubris BioPharma; Michael Bonney, Kaleido Biosciences; Missy Fulton, Locust Walk; Pamela Gardner, Biotech Vendor Services; Sandra Glucksmann, Cedilla Therapeutics; Gitte Pederson, Genomic Expression; Kate Rigby, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart; Alison Taunton-Rigby, Blumont; Monika Rogozinska, Adial Pharmaceuticals and Bill VanDeWeghe, BioSurplus.
This third nationwide BVS event is part of an initiative started by Biotech Vendor Services, Inc. (BVS) to address the issues women in science have dealt with for many decades. It is anticipated to be one of the largest events of its kind to date in the Cambridge area, with confirmed attendance currently surpassing 300 people.
According to a National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine report https://doi.org/10.17226/24994, when comparing academia with other workplaces, the academic workplace had the second highest rate of sexual harassment (58%) behind the military (69%).
“Sexual harassment and discrimination are major reasons why women leave the field of science, and there needs to be a systemwide change,” said Pamela Gardner, President and CEO of BVS.
“Although there are many key senior leaders and organizations who have implemented positive changes, we can’t fix the problem overnight,” continued Gardner. “True change will happen when the culture of the organization changes, but there is still a lot of shame and fear from employees on reporting the issue. It is important that we come together as a community to bring continued nationwide awareness and education with events such as this one.”
“As we approach 2019, it is well past the time for society to move to a place where a person’s ability to contribute to the advancement of scientific knowledge is based solely on one’s insights, skills, curiosity and passion – the outputs of scientific endeavors – rather than the inputs, such as gender, race or socioeconomic background,” said Michael Bonney, Executive Chair of Kaleido Biosciences.
“Science-based businesses have the opportunity to lead in this regard,” continued Bonney. “Treating everyone equitably should be operable across society, but we have the added incentives of it leading to improved performance and an intense competition for talent that is critical to the success of our businesses. Building a culture where everyone can focus on the important work and scientific mission without distraction or hindrance, is not only the right thing to do, it is a business imperative.”
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DATE: |
Wednesday, November 14, 2018. | |||
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TIME: |
5 pm - 9 pm ET | |||
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LOCATION: |
Boston Marriott Cambridge, 50 Broadway, Cambridge, MA | |||
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Related Link: https://bit.ly/2zoUOgS |
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PANEL DETAILS: |
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“What are the Implications of #MeToo in Life Sciences and Society in General” |
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“Women Breaking the Barriers of Science and their Champions” |
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About Biotech Vendor Services, Inc.
Biotech Vendor Services
Inc. (BVS) is the leader in delivering effective and cost-saving vendor
management strategies to clinical, research and manufacturing
organizations in all sectors of the Life Science Industry. As a way of
giving back to society and through our network of scientists and
community leaders, in June 2018, BVS launched a nationwide initiative to
raise major awareness to help combat sexual harassment and
discrimination in the field of science.
Since 2003, BVS has orchestrated over 2,500 nationwide on-site vendor product shows, technical seminars, and scientific events with a network of over 1,000 suppliers. Our services help research organizations strengthen their vendor relations and streamline the process of researching and selecting products and services to stay abreast of the latest advancements in technology. www.bvsconnections.com
