In recognition of International Women’s Day, Life throws the spotlight on women working in exciting STEM jobs in the North East. We caught up with Ruth Daniels, a Technical Project Manager at Highforce Research Ltd.
My interest in science stems from my curiosity about how the world around us works.
I’ve always believed that science is for everyone, regardless of gender, and I was lucky in that my dad and grandad had scientific jobs and I also had some brilliant teachers at school.
I studied an integrated Masters in Chemistry at Durham University before going on to do a PhD at Northumbria University.
I really enjoy the variety of my job, managing the projects undertaken by our research chemists, which includes directing the lab work and speaking to customers. Each project brings new chemistry and techniques to learn about which is really interesting.
I am also part of a team that runs an annual event celebrating women in life sciences across the North East, which highlights different career journeys women have taken into science and the challenges they have faced along the way.
It is really important to encourage more women and girls to be interested in and work in science. Science can only benefit from the ideas and innovation of women and girls.