Dr. Claire Sexton: From UK to US, as the Senior Director of Scientific Programs and Outreach at the Alzheimer’s Association.
In celebration of International Women’s Day on Wednesday the 8th of March, Women in Neuroscience UK are taking over the UK DRI Twitter account! We aim to utilise this opportunity to highlight gender disparities in dementia research and showcase the stories of successful female dementia researchers. In this series of articles for IWD23, we interviewed inspiring women in dementia research about their work, their career pathways, and their advice for aspiring women in neuroscience.
What is your main field of research?
In my role with the Alzheimer's Association I develop the scientific programming for the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC), and oversee strategy for the Alzheimer's Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment (ISTAART). This means I'm lucky enough to engage with every field of dementia research, from basic science through to dementia care. Prior to joining the Alzheimer's Association, my research focused on modifiable factors associated with risk for Alzheimer's and other dementia, including physical activity and sleep.
How did you end up here? Why did you become a scientist? What drew you to the field of dementia research? What makes you get up in the morning?
I switched degrees from Maths to Neuroscience because I was interested in learning more about the brain, then became more engaged with the field of dementia research as a result of volunteering with people living with dementia and their families. When I lived in the UK I was a Dementia Friends Champion for a number of years, and I loved every minute of it. I then became a trustee for Dementia Adventure - a fantastic charity that offers dementia friendly holidays. I have many beautiful memories of time spent with people living with dementia and continue to be inspired by them.
What is the coolest thing about your work/research?
The scale of the reach the Alzheimer's Association is able to have - it's a privilege to be able to work on programming that engages thousands of researchers spanning over 100 countries around the world.
Do you feel as though you are equally represented in this field? How many of your associates are also female researchers?
Fortunately, I've been surrounded by some fantastic women throughout my career. For example, during my postdoc at the University of Oxford, my supervisor was Prof Heidi Johansen-Berg, who was amazing to work with, while I supervised two wonderful doctoral students in Naiara Demnitz and Melis Anaturk - I learnt from all of them. I'd say that approximately 60% of the researchers I engage with in my job are women - the future is bright with the next generation of emerging leaders!
This article was written by Rebecca Parker, and edited by Ailie McWhinnie. Interested in writing for WiN UK yourself? Contact us through the blog page and the editors will be in touch!
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