PERSPECTI VE
glassceiling I’ve never been subject to a glass ceiling in my profession. But what was crucial was being as STRONG AND EFFECTIVE as a man without trying to emulate a male style of attack. I also had to recognise that succeeding as a woman took more effort. You have to want it more, then you can
HAVE EVERYTHING.” STEFANIE YUEN THIO, (Law ’93), 46, Joint Managing Director and Head of Transactions at TSMP Law Corporation.
you climb “theAscareer ladder,
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DR JANAKI SHAH, (Science ’01), 36, Polytechnic Lecturer.
the higher you go, the fewer women there are, especially in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields. We still have a long way to go before we get to the stage where there is equal representation of the sexes.” DR SITI M YAAKUB, (Science (PhD), ’14), 34, Senior Marine Ecologist.
“The fact that, in 2016, we are still talking about the ‘gender glass ceiling’ shows that this issue is alive and still happening! My personal career journey also had another glass ceiling... a racial glass ceiling or racial stereotyping. Realising that these two glass ceilings were never going away, I just worked hard and smart to rise above these man-made ‘impediments’. I made sure I was very proficient and the most knowledgeable in my chosen area. Women can break through these glass ceilings. Just be very professional, dedicated and true to your chosen career.” ARUNO RAJARATNAM, (Law ’74), 66, Consultant for Financial Lines Practice Asia at Ince & Co
In some organisations, especially in academia, women are judged entirely on their merit and given their due. But in larger organisations, where more p ofitpro t bureaucracy exists orr profi uss,, making is a larger focus, then the view does seem to be that w women are somehow e. less capable.
What is the state of workplace equality and gender diversity in Singapore? Some NUS alumnae share their thoughts.
PHOTO OF ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR THAM BY EALBERT HO, COURTESY OF LIFEWISE MAGAZINE
The gender
I am quite certain I have not been denied any opportunity simply because I am a WOMAN. As an emergency physician and medical educator, I have been able to access OPPORTUNITIES for learning and progression based on whether my capabilities are the right fit for the job. For EDUCATION and WORK opportunities, our medical students have equal access. Training opportunities after graduation are equal but women may shy away from some specialties compared to others. The reason is not a glass ceiling but a PERSONAL and LIFESTYLE choice.” ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR THAM KUM YING, (Medicine ’88), 51, Senior Consultant, Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), and Assistant Dean, Years 3 & 5, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine. She also teaches NUS students at TTSH’s Emergency Department.
A HELPING HAND JUST FOR ALUMNAE NUS BUSINESS SCHOOL ALUMNI WOMEN’S WING Launched in 2015, it organises events that enable business graduates to network, share their experiences, and advise one another on everything from work-life balance to leadership skills. Register for membership at www.nusbsa.org
EXECUTIVE EDUCATION FOR ALUMNI The NUS Business School conducts several leadership programmes, including a three-day programme, Women in Leadership, which helps participants navigate the complexities of leadership
and overcome its challenges through self-reflection, exercises and peer learning. Visit Executive-education. nus.edu or contact programme advisor Joanna Li at 6516-7802 or Joanna.li@nus.edu.sg for course information.
WOMEN IN SCIENCE The Mechanobiology Institute’s Women in Science (MBI-WIS) initiative was started to increase the participation and advancement of women in science through mentorship, networking and outreach. Find out more at Mbi.nus.edu.sg/resources/ mbi-women-in-science APR– JUN 2016 47