TWENTYFOURSEVENBIOPHARMA Issue 1 / March 2026 55 WOMEN IN SCIENCE SIMONA SERBAN What career path led you to this prestigious role at …Sunresin…? Immediately after completing the PhD, I joined first the medical device industry then the chromatography resins manufacturing industry. Throughout the different stages of my carrier from Project leader to Manager and now Director, my interest and passion were to support the customers in having the best experience in using the products we manufactured. Building bridges with the users, understanding their needs and trying to deliver the best, remains key objective for me. What has been your greatest accomplishment? Completing my PhD thesis was one of my greatest professional accomplishments. With my personal background, having the resources to complete a PhD was highly unlikely, but it all became possible due to my academic results, my drive and by having the right mentors. Have you observed or experienced any barriers to gaining opportunities that support career progression in the pharmaceutical field? (For example, how individuals are selected for involvement in international activities, team leader, committees, etc.). Yes, I have observed barriers that can impact career progression in the pharmaceutical or any field for that matter. One example would be related to disparities in mentorship and sponsorship which can pose significant barriers. Individuals who lack access to mentors or sponsors who actively advocate for their advancement may find it much more challenging to navigate the landscape of opportunities, leading to stagnation in their career progression. How prevalent have outdated stereotypes or judgements been in your time in science? Have comments about women being unsuited to scientific disciplines and/or motherhood as a career barrier reduced or increased or has there generally been no change? Luckily, personally I don’t feel I have been subjected to such situations during my time in science and I would say that in general, the comments about women being unsuited to scientific disciplines are less loudly heard nowadays. However, it doesn’t mean they don’t exist in the subconscious of many of us and don’t influence the progression of young capable women especially if it is perceived they are considering motherhood. Occasionally, women themselves build mental barriers which must be addressed early on through education and role models. Do you think as a female in science you receive enough credit for your work? Have there been times where you were led to believe your contribution was not enough or was inferior? How much of that do you think was down to your gender? Yes, there were times when I was led to believe that my contribution was not enough, but I don’t believe that was down to my gender. As hard as it may seem, candid and constructive criticism should be appreciated and acted upon since it contributes to improvement in performance. That’s not to say that gender discrimination doesn’t happen and it shouldn’t be called out; it’s just that I feel I was treated mostly with fairness throughout my carrier. In your opinion, what can we do to increase female participation in the pharmaceutical/biotech field? Fostering an inclusive culture where all employees feel empowered to pursue growth opportunities is beneficial for all and very enriching for the organization. However, an early education to senior leadership focused on breaking down systemic, cultural and structural barriers can be very effective in increasing female participation. Additionally, if each one of us could take a little time to mentor, sponsor, inspire and influence girls and young women, we would help shifting the paradigm from simply hiring more women in STEM to ensuring they are empowered to thrive, lead, and stay in the industry. CAROLINE TINSLEY To what do you attribute the growth and increased focus on STEM? I think the growing focus on STEM comes from a combination of real-world need and greater awareness of the role science plays in solving some of our most urgent challenges, from climate change to medical breakthroughs. Science and technology are central to healthcare and everyday life, and there is a stronger understanding that progress depends on bringing in a wider range of perspectives. There has also been more effort to make STEM feel accessible, particularly for girls and young people, helping them see it as something they can genuinely belong to rather than something intimidating or exclusive. How important is networking among women in the pharmaceutical industry, both for career advancement and for discussing shared challenges? Networking among women in the biotech and pharmaceutical
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