On Monday, our 2021 STEM Blues recipients had the opportunity to meet Dame Juliet Gerrard, Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister, to have a chat about the new Blues initiative and the career pathways available for women in STEM.

Juliet had kindly sent in a video of support for the Blues assembly in which she suggested having a Zoom call with the recipients, and so it was wonderful to take up this generous offer. We were able to share our individual plans for a STEM career with Juliet and listen to her valuable advice for enabling more women to become involved in STEM - a field she was optimistic was increasingly achieving equality.

Juliet also discussed her own path into STEM and her journey to being nominated for the role of Chief Science Advisor (a position that she didn’t even apply for!), and how she had to have a compatibility test with Jacinda Ardern by way of a casual chat on her sofa to get the job!

We are very grateful to Juliet for taking time out of her busy schedule to talk with us and provide insight into life as one of New Zealand’s top scientists.