From Thursday, October 24th to Friday, October 25th, 2013, as part of the F3 Project, we held a leadership workshop for female researchers in the fields of science, engineering, and agriculture, titled "Key Tips to Become an Academic Leader." We invited Professor Patricia Rankin from the University of Colorado Boulder in the United States as a lecturer. Professor Rankin is a researcher specializing in physics and is also involved in the NSF's LEAP (The Leadership Education for Advancement and Promotion) program.
On the first day of the program, participants began by sharing their aspirations for the program and their visions of leadership. Professor Rankin then spoke about the nature of leadership in a changing era and the importance of building networks for career development, followed by a discussion with the participants. The interaction among participants, including Professor Rankin, continued late into the night after the session. On the second day, Professor Rankin provided concrete examples of essential leadership skills, such as time management and negotiation skills, drawing on her own experiences. Each participant reflected on what they need to do to become a leader, what they learned from the program, and their future aspirations and mindsets. For female researchers, who in some fields have few readily available female role models, this was a valuable opportunity to consider the challenges they face in their respective situations, as well as how to continue and advance their careers. The active exchange of opinions also fostered new networks, and the workshop was a valuable opportunity to receive much advice from Professor Rankin.
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