My story
As a marine bioacoustician and neuroecologist, I investigate how animals perceive and interact with their environments, often in conditions as challenging and unpredictable as the academic system where I perform my work. I’ve been working hard across continents, leading multidisciplinary projects, and mentoring the next generation of scientists.
Like many women in science, I’ve also experienced the barriers that come with being in the minority at senior levels. The Homeward Bound leadership program is designed to equip female academics like myself with the skills, networks, and confidence to lead transformative change globally.
Participating in this program will not only advance my leadership journey, it will also empower me to lift others as I rise.
The gender gap and the leadership gap
In Australia, like in the rest of the world, women make up 50% of science PhD graduates, yet hold only 20% of senior academic roles. This gap is not due to a lack of talent or ambition, it is due to persistent structural barriers, including:
- gender bias
- lack of mentorship
- caring responsibilities
- masculinised leadership cultures
The disconnect between the number of women in education and in leadership position is not only unjust, it limits innovation and economic growth by failing to tap into the full potential of the talent pool.
With the current leaders of the world, most of them men, many of them authoritarian, we are going backwards. On climate, equity, peace, and truth, the gap between what science shows us and what leadership delivers is growing wider by the day. The skill of leading is catastrophically mismatched to the scale and complexity of the problems we face. We don’t have a science problem — we have a leadership problem. Facts are not lacking; what’s missing is the courage, integrity, and vision to act on them. We need more leaders who listen, who collaborate, who build trust, and who make decisions that reflect the long-term wellbeing of people and planet.
That’s why I’m not just advancing my career: I’m challenging the very practice of leadership itself. By advancing my career through leadership training, I join a powerful network of women who can make a difference. I can make a difference.
Your contribution
In June 2025, I have joined Homeward Bound, a global leadership initiative that brings together women in science from across the world. Over the course of a year, this program supports participants to build their strategic, visibility, and collaboration skills, with a shared goal of shaping a more inclusive, sustainable future for our planet.
The journey culminates in an intensive 15-day summit in Tanzania, where all 10 cohorts of the program will finally come together. Set in the Serengeti, this gathering will be a powerful convergence of knowledge and leadership, with a focus on resolving the world’s most urgent environmental and social challenges. I’ll be contributing my expertise in marine science, bringing attention to the often-overlooked underwater world and advocating for better stewardship of our oceans.
This experience is not just about personal growth, it’s about collective action. What I learn will feed directly back into my work in Australia and beyond, where I’m committed to mentoring early-career researchers, advocating for women in science, and driving change in the way we approach environmental conservation.
To make this possible, I’m asking for your support. The full cost of participating in the program is $18,100 USD. I’m contributing personally, but I can’t do this alone. Your donation will help amplify a more diverse and representative voice in science leadership, and support the ripple effects that will follow.
This campaign runs a crowdfunding platform where you can choose a reward linked to your donation amount — or simply click «Show all rewards» and select «Back this project» to contribute any amount without choosing a reward. Every bit of support truly counts!
Together, let’s lead with courage, collaboration, and care: for science, for people, and for the planet.
