An interview with postdoc Nithya Subramanian

“I am trying to understand how we can safely design aircraft parts without using mechanical fasteners so we can bring down the overall weight of the aircraft. If we achieve this, we will save fuel usage and bring down our environmental footprint tremendously and save money.

 When I was studying in India my aerospace engineering batch had only 14 women out of the 70 students. I think in a general aerospace engineering department, the percentage of students is about the same, the percentage of female scientists is around 30% and the percentage full professors is also on the low end. A lot of investment is done in terms of hiring women but not in retaining and promoting women, offering ways to support them once they are hired.

I think we can do more on how people move through the line of transition from PhD/Postdoc to the tenure track positions of assistant, associate, and full professors. It helps to have the data. It helps to know how many of the postdocs you hire become lecturers, tenure trackers or leave academia. What happens after people finish their PhD and/or postdoc? Check this data every year and make it available publicly. This gives clarity and helps set expectations for both the postdoc/student and the department.

In addition, female mentorship is important for retaining women. Seeing a woman who is a professor and who is supporting and guiding you is helpful. My professional circles have been supportive; but for the last eight years of my career women have supervised me. [smiling] I love having female mentors and I love being a mentor to female STEM students. I think in general women tend to underestimate, judge, or question themselves too much and reassurance from a senior female scientist can make all the difference.

I was wondering if DEWIS has a policy wing, because working together with HR, the department chairs or the diversity office is important in terms of creating equitable change and also gauge/provide feedback. 

What we define as “early career stage” in academia – a particularly stressful time for most, is also usually the period when scientists tend to start a family. This is such a crucial time both professionally and personally. Generally, women disproportionally carry the burden of childcare. Therefore, I think university should support women and thus encourage them to stay in academia through providing for example childcare services on location and lactation rooms in every building.

The on-boarding and starting work at the university went very smoothly despite the restrictions due to the pandemic but it is disappointing and a little sad that all the meet-up events have been online. I do join the Zoom meetings but it is not the same as meeting people in person. Although I have been here several months, I don’t feel I really met many people. What helped me through this strange period is trying to enjoy what I can on a daily basis, even if it is just the sun shining on a spring day. It will be interesting to see how our lives have been changed after the pandemic.”