Mentoring the secret to breaking gender bias

Dr Sonia Shah is deciphering some of the most difficult scientific and medical dilemmas facing society, but it was returning to work after having a baby that almost unravelled her.

“If it wasn’t for my mentor, I may have given up at some point and just said, ‘This is too difficult,’” she said.

A recipient of many academic accolades and a 2021 Australian Superstar of STEM, Dr Shah certainly didn’t give up on juggling her work and being a parent.

Her research at The University of Queensland’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience focuses on the genetics of heart disease.

“Basically, I try to understand how our genes contribute to disease and why some people are more likely to develop disease than others,” she said.

“I’m trying to identify the genes that are relevant for heart disease but then also try to use that information to predict who is more likely to get disease in the future.

“If we can identify people early on in life, we can support them to make lifestyle changes to actually prevent the disease from happening in the first place.

“My job is very computational, and when I first started out, the field was very male dominated, which didn’t bother me until I had children and then I realised that women definitely face a lot more hurdles professionally.

“It’s not a level playing field when it comes to having children and returning to work.”

A group of 11 people wearing formal business attire, in two rows, one seated and one standing. Most of them are holding award certificates.

Dr Sonia Shah with her fellow 2022 Young Tall Poppy Award winners

Three women standing on a stage smiling. The woman in the centre is holding an angular glass trophy.

Sonia Shah accepting a 2022 Research and Innovation Week Award

Dr Shah attributes having a mentor as her best professional support when returning to work after the births of her two daughters.

“Having Professor Naomi Wray as my mentor has made everything a lot easier for me – just having someone who understands what I’m going through has changed my life,” she said.

Dr Shah believes breaking gender bias is about educating the next generation.

“It’s not going to happen overnight, but I think it starts with the younger generation and teaching them from a young age that we (women) are equal,” she said.

“Yes, we will experience setbacks, but I think by changing the culture that women are predominately the carers for their family and men playing a more equal role in raising a family, we will help give women the choice to have a career.”

Having benefited from supportive mentors, Dr Shah is now passing on her knowledge by mentoring young women interested in STEM.

“I’ve been mentoring a Year 10 student in Bundaberg as part of the Curious Minds program,” she said.

“We’re developing a project and hoping to go to Lady Musgrave Island together and look at the health of the coral reefs.

“Honestly, these young female students really blow my mind with their levels of curiosity and creativeness.”

Dr Shah acknowledges there has been significant progress in breaking biases in recent years but said there was still a long way to go.

“I’m optimistic about the future for women, but I want my girls to know the reality,” she said.

“I want them to know the struggles that I have had, and I don’t want to sugar-coat anything and tell them you can do whatever you want and it will all be fine; they have to understand that they may face setbacks as a woman.

“International Women’s Day is a reminder of how far we've come, but also a reminder that we still have some way to go to reach gender equity.

“We need to work towards a time when we no longer need to celebrate IWD!”

UQ Media and Communications, communications@uq.edu.au, +61 (0)429 056 139.

Sonia Shah with her high-school student mentee, Cadence Taylor