Dialogue with Charlotte Owen to provide opportunities and feedback
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Charlotte Owens talked to Springer Nature Black Employee Network about her career path in the biomedical field. She is now the vice president of the pharmaceutical company Takeda, Head of its R&D Center for Health Equity and Patient Affairs, And an adjunct assistant professor at Morehouse Medical School. She was previously the head of women’s health treatments at AbbVie Pharmaceuticals.
Owens is very aware of the lack of black representation in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and is optimistic that we are heading in the right direction. “But we need to continue to make things better in practical ways,” she said. Owens said that people from disadvantaged groups appreciate the diversity in the field, but she knows that, unfortunately, this is not a “mainstream topic.”She observed, “Until recently, the discussion [race] openly. In all areas of STEM, many people still lack comfort on this subject. “
Owens emphasized the importance of coaching and said that she is grateful for the opportunities provided to her by people who have supported her career from the beginning. She added that not everyone in the field will give up their time to provide other people with real climbing opportunities and steps, but “this is what my mentors and sponsors did for me.”
Owens encourages more people to expand themselves, help others pursue careers in the STEM field, and have the same opportunities as people from more representative backgrounds and groups.
This video shows the highlights of the conversation:
you can Watch the entire interview here.
This discussion is made by Black employee network Publisher in Springer Nature Scientific americanThe series aims to highlight the contribution of black people to STEM-a history that has not been widely recognized. It will cover STEM career paths, role models and guidance, and diversity.