University of Queensland initiatives to encourage women researchers are paying dividends, according to the University's senior research leader.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Postgraduate Studies) Professor Peter Sheehan said women researchers at the University of Queensland had dramatically improved their success rate in national competitive research grants in the past three years.
'In 1994, 132 women chief investigators were awarded project grants and by last year this number had increased to 239,' he said.
'Analysis of our grant performance data shows the proportion of women as a percentage of all University of Queensland chief investigators has jumped from 16 percent in 1994 to almost 25 percent last year.
'Fifty-six percent of women staff in academic and research-only categories were awarded project grants in competitive national schemes in 1996, compared with only 38 percent in 1994.
'This is a pleasing result, especially given the fact that many women researchers have to balance a heavy load of other commitments and responsibilities. However, there's always room for improvement, and we shouldn't accept that this is the best that can be achieved.'
Professor Sheehan said the University was continuing initiatives to recognise the excellence of its staff and provide them with a high-quality research environment.
'We would like all our researchers to achieve their potential, despite the tight funding situation in competitive research grants,' he said.
'Our initiatives include special schemes for women researchers, training workshops for all researchers to improve their likelihood of success in national schemes, incentive programs and rewards for performance.'
Professor Sheehan said women researchers were an important part of the University's overall strategy to improve its research performance. In the past 10 years the University has risen from eighth ranking nationally in competitive research schemes, to one of the nation's top four.
Director of the University's Office of Gender Equity Gay Mason said the Status of Women Committee had suggested a range of initiatives to encourage women researchers, and these had been strongly supported by the Office of Research and Postgraduate Studies.
They included postdoctoral re-entry fellowships, postgraduate re-entry scholarships, and short-term staff fellowships for people who were close to finishing their PhDs.
'All have been stunningly successful,' Ms Mason said.
'Researchers have told us how important it has been for them, for example, with short-term staff fellowships to be relieved of teaching duties for short periods to complete writing up their PhDs.
'This scheme is in its fourth year and has close to a 100 percent success rate, with the latest fellowship holders now submitting their theses. Successful applicants have included a male researcher with heavy work and family responsibilities.
'We have more programs on the drawing board. The next one we would like to see is a Women of Distinction Program, to support staff engaged in high quality research.'
Ms Mason said the University of Queensland had an impressive package of assistance for female staff members which was resulting in high performance figures for women researchers.
'But it is also conveying an important message,' she said.
'As many recipients have indicated, they perceive the award as an acknowledgement that the University values the contributions of its female scholars and recognises the greater challenges they invariably need to overcome in comparison to their male colleagues.'
Head of the University's School of Pharmacy Associate Professor Sue Tett said research benefited patient care and the pharmacy profession. It was a good career option, and it was fun as well.
'It's exciting to discover something new or to be at the cutting-edge of a discipline,' she said.
'Theoretically gender shouldn't make any difference to success in obtaining research grants.
'The National Health and Medical Research Council, for example, asks only for researchers' initials, not first names, on application forms.'
Dr Tett last year became the first woman appointed the head of a pharmacy department in an Australian university. She said while pharmacy research was still a male-dominated area, the situation would change as more talented women researchers came through the ranks.
'The main way that people can advance in research - whether male or female - is to reach the required standard,' she said.
During her career, Dr Tett has won pharmacy research grants valued at more than $1 million and her research findings have contributed significantly to the development of Australian pharmacy and patient care.
She is a chief investigator on several National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) projects focusing on quality use of medication for people with HIV (with researchers at Royal North Shore and St Vincent's hospitals in Sydney) and people with rheumatoid arthritis (with colleagues at the Gold Coast Hospital and in Sydney). She is seeking funding this year for a project studying immuno-suppressant drugs for liver transplant recipients (with colleagues at Princess Alexandra Hospital).
Last year Dr Tett received the Ishidate Award for Pharmacy Research made by the Federation of Asian Pharmaceutical Associations to recognise outstanding contributions to pharmacy research.
Recently she was awarded the Glaxo Wellcome Medal of Merit of the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia, for research and education achievements.
For further information, contact Professor Sheehan, telephone 07 3365 3917, Ms Mason, telephone 07 3365 3052 or Dr Tett, telephone 07 3365 3191.
