Lead of our Salmon breeding programme in Norway, Ingunn Thorland, discusses her experience of working as a woman in the Aquaculture industry.
Why do you think it is important for women to work in STEM careers?
In all careers it should be both women and men, both to get the best people and to have the input from both women and men that might think some differently.
Can you name a woman in the scientific sphere who inspires you?
The Norwegian researcher May-Britt Moser that (together with her ex-husband) got the Nobel prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2014 for their brain research. Also the pioneer Florence Nightingale: just learned that she also was a pioneer in statistics and data visualization.
What do you love most about your job?
Working in team with clever people, both women and men, often with complementary skills. Learning something new from my own or colleagues analysis, for instance demonstrating patterns/causes explaining outcomes.
How have you experienced being a woman in the science sector?
In the early days of my career it was expected that I (as a females employee) should write minutes in meetings and do some administrative work, that I was not educated for, when I actually needed the time to do statistical analysis. I do not think a young male employee would have met these expectations/given these tasks. When starting working in aquaculture industry more than 20 years ago we were few women present in meetings, but that have certainly changed, which is good both for social interaction and for developing the industry itself and the science linked to it. Working in Norway I have generally been respected as a female worker. Working in south Europe as a young women I was not listen to the first years, but that changed.
