Building momentum for women in cardiovascular science
This year, to celebrate International Women’s Day, we brought together researchers and clinicians from across the cardiovascular field for our second Women in Science networking event.
Our research funding demographic data report showed that women researchers remain substantially under-represented in our funding schemes, especially at senior levels. Our annual Women in Science event forms an important part of our ongoing commitment to double the number of senior BHF-funded women researchers within the next decade as we work to achieve our goal of parity within a generation.
The evening provided an opportunity for women to come together from across the field, share their experiences, build and strengthen their networks and inspire one another. Opening the event, our Chief Scientific Medical Officer, Professor Bryan Williams, said: “Increasing the representation of women in science is essential. Talent exists across our community, but opportunity does not always follow. Events like this are more than symbolic, they play a vital role in forging and strengthening networks, sharing learning and supporting women to progress and succeed.”
Women in Science event attendees (from left: Professor Rasha Al-Lamee, Professor Marianna Fontana).
Conversations that matter
The event aimed to create a safe, dedicated space for women working in the field to share challenges, strategies and ambitions in their career progression. To spark these conversations we invited Professor Jane Armitage, BHF Trustee, to chair a conversation with:
- Professor Rachel Myles, Clinical Academic, University of Glasgow
- Dr Fozia Ahmed, Consultant Cardiologist, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
- Professor Sarah De Val, BHF Senior Fellow, University of Oxford
Drawing on their own careers, the panellists shared candid reflections of navigating different routes through cardiovascular research. Key themes from the panel included the need for women not to downplay their achievements, recognising that this can unintentionally give others permission to do the same, as well as the value of collective support and normalising failure by navigating challenges together rather than alone.
"The panel discussion was particularly excellent – authentic, honest and achieved a good balance between acknowledging the problems and giving hope for the future." – Women in Science 2026 attendee
Pearls & Pitfalls Panel (from left: Professor Rachel Myles, Dr Fozia Ahmed, Professor Sarah De Val and Professor Jane Armitage).
Improving the representation of women in science cannot, and should not, sit with women alone. Meaningful change depends on the entire research ecosystem, including funders, institutions, senior leaders and peers, working together to challenge existing norms and structures. In recognition of this, we invited an extended range of attendees to broaden conversation, an approach that was well received by guests.
Event attendees (from left: Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, Professor Bryan Williams, Professor Dame Parveen Kumar, Dame Lesley Regan and Professor Dame Jane Dacre).
To continue the theme of systemic change, Dame Jane Dacre, President of Women’s Medical Federation, chaired an ‘Allyship in Action’ panel discussion with representatives from across the research ecosystem:
- Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Executive Officer National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Department of Health and Social Care
- Professor Paul Stewart, former Dean of Leeds School of Medicine and former Acting President/Vice President (Clinical) of the Academy of Medical Sciences
- Professor Mandy Maclean, Chair of Academy of Medical Sciences Mentoring Advisory Group.
The panel discussion focused on the role of everyone in the research ecosystem in driving change to ensure organisations, including universities and funders, challenge existing inequalities rather than reinforcing them. As one attendee remarked: “The panels were really thought provoking and the take home message for me was that it is not women that need to change but the systems that are supposed to support them.”
Event attendees (from left: Professor Waljit Dhillo, Dr Paz Tayal).
Listening to the community
Bringing together women working across cardiovascular research and medicine provides us with an opportunity to directly engage and listen to our community. The event featured a mock polling station for attendees, predominantly women, to share what they perceive to be the most pervasive barriers to career progression to senior and leadership levels and how funders such as BHF can play a meaningful role in addressing these challenges.
Event polling station (from left: Professor Vishwanie Budhram-Mahadeo, Dr Ana Vujic, Dr Cherrie Kong).
This year, ‘Caring and family responsibilities’ received the joint most votes as a perceived pervasive barrier to career progression with ‘Culture in research and/or cardiology’ which was voted top at our 2024 event. Other barriers, in order of votes, were ways of working, job security and income followed by lack of mentorship and networking opportunities.
We also wanted to better understand how BHF could help women researchers overcome barriers to career progression. This year, ‘Support funding’ was the most selected priority, reflecting a trend seen in 2024, highlighting the need to improve how we fund grants and to create more flexible, supportive career pathways. Close behind was ‘Using funding levers to promote a healthy workplace culture’, ensuring universities receiving BHF strategic investment drive progress towards a more inclusive cardiovascular research workforce. Other priorities, in order of popularity, were leadership and development support, and convening and connecting opportunities.
Insights from the night give us a valuable indication of where interventions may be most needed. They highlight the importance of addressing culture, structures and support across the research ecosystem and will help inform the development of our Women in Science programme and wider Research EDI work.
As our Clinical Director Dr Sonya Babu Narayan, noted: “Creating space to listen and learn from our research community allows us to move beyond admiring the problem to action that will enable more women cardiovascular researchers reaching senior leadership positions. These insights are shaping our Women in Science programme and wider inclusion work and driving sustained action over time.”
Women in Science event attendees (from Left: Professor Mary Sheppard, Professor Pia Ostergaard).
Progress to date
We have already made progress to address some of the barriers to career progression that women have told us they face. For example:
- As part of our refreshed offering, our Fellowships are longer and provide more flexibility and stability at key career stages
- New Fellows will have access to support funds, separate Caring Responsibility and Discretionary fund, to support equitable access to development opportunities, helping cover additional caring costs associated with conferences, training and collaboration.
- Supported career re-entry pathways in partnership with Daphne Jackson Trust.
- To influence research culture, we ensure that BHF’s large-scale awards, such as our Research Excellence Awards, Grand Challenges, 4-year PhD scheme and other strategic investments, assess institutions’ EDI and research culture plans during the application and annual review process.
For more information on how we address inequalities more broadly see our recently refreshed organisation-wide EDI ambitions. You can also get in touch by emailing us at [email protected] – we’d love to hear your thoughts, experiences and ideas.