Founders

Sonal Bhadane - Co-Founder

Sonal is a medical physics and radiation therapy professional based in the UK with over 10 years of combined clinical and industry experience in Cancer care. She is a passionate science communicator and a mom to an astronaut wannabe. Her passion for science communication began when she noticed that not a lot of people are aware of the medical physics and radiation therapy field and that there is an alarming shortage of skills in these important fields. So while being pregnant, Sonal set up a scicomm Instagram account to take people on the science journey of using radiation to treat cancer. Sonal co-founded Mothers in Science to encourage the much-needed conversations around motherhood and science careers.

Twitter: @bhadane_sonal | Instagram: @talkingscience

Leadership Team

Isabel Torres - Chief Executive Officer

Isabel is co-founder and CEO of Mothers in Science. After completing a PhD degree in genetics at the University of Cambridge and a postdoc at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in the UK, she moved to France where she is currently a scientific editor and consultant. Isabel is also an experienced science writer and communicator. For instance, she was a science writer for PLoS and founder of Microscopes4Schools and Pretty Smart Science, a platform that combines science and art to promote scientific literacy and increase the visibility of women in science. She is passionate about promoting women in STEMM and advocating for gender equality and social justice. She is a mother of four children.

Email: isabel.torres@mothersinscience.com
Twitter: @Isabel_L_Torres | @prettysmartsci | Instagram: @prettysmartsci

Victoria Sugrue - Research manager

Victoria is a PhD student researching the epigenetics of aging at the University of Otago, New Zealand. Victoria fell pregnant at the beginning of her Honours year and, without examples of mothers thriving in higher education, felt destined to fail. Now, she is determined to break the perception that mothers are less competent or successful in science and to create an environment of support and encouragement. When not focusing on her family or research, Victoria helps to teach anatomy, reproduction and development to undergraduates and enjoys creating in the kitchen. 

Twitter: @torisugrue | Instagram: @mylucyandme

Anaelle Hertz - research officer

Anaelle is a physics postdoc at the National Research Council of Canada where she is studying quantum information. Being in a male-dominated field since the beginning of her studies, Anaelle always encouraged girls to follow a scientific path. After her PhD, within 4 years, she got married and had 3 kids, in 3 different countries, during 3 different work contracts. This was not always easy to handle, but abandoning her career was never an option. Anaelle now wants to show every woman that it is possible to be a mom and to pursue our dreamed career. Through Mothers in Science she found the right platform to support other mothers.

Twitter: @AnaelleHertz | Instagram: @anaellehertz

Belinda Di Bartolo - COMMUNICATIONS AND Social Media Manager

Belinda is currently the COO at Living Cell Technologies Ltd. She is a vascular biologist passionate about discovery research in science and was in the academic sector for almost 20 years, when she discovered the continued inequities that prevent women and mothers in STEMM from progressing in their careers. She is a strong advocate for women and mothers in the science and health sector and a firm believer in the the power of mentoring. She joined the Mothers in Science team to help bring awareness to the barriers facing mothers in STEMM and to find ways to remove them so the next generation of girls in STEMM don’t need to choose between a career and motherhood. She is a mother of 3 children aged 5 to 10.

Twitter: @BA_Dibartolo

Ahana Maitra - Social Media OFFICER

Ahana is a postdoctoral researcher at ILMD-Fiocruz Amazonia, Manaus, Brazil. She is a geneticist/molecular biologist/veterinarian with hands-on experience in population genetics of vectors, molecular and evolutionary biology, and exploratory genetic data analysis. She loves to teach and has considerable teaching experience with students from various age groups and backgrounds. She started her PhD with a 2 and half-year-old toddler in a new continent, and though she had a supportive network of friends and family, she had faced severe professional challenges and biases in her academic journey for being a woman and a mother. Since then, she has been looking out for helping other women in science, especially mothers and has been hugely motivated creating change with the Mothers in Science team.  

Twitter: @MaitraAhana | Instagram: @ahanamaitra

KANMANI CHANDRA - SOCIAL MEDIA OFFICER

Kanmani is a marine molecular biologist from Tamil Nadu, one of the southern most states in India. After completing her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in biotechnology in India, she moved to Hong Kong to pursue her PhD research. Currently, she is working as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Hong Kong. Her current research is on ocean acidification and invertebrate biomineralization. She is a new mother to a baby girl. Soon after getting back to work, she realised the immense effort required to pursue a research career while being a new mother. She joined Mothers in Science to help in making positive change and remove the barriers hindering the career progression of mothers in STEMM.

Twitter: @kanmani_chandra | Instagram: @thetamilscientist

CASSIE LEONARD - WEB DEVELOPMENT and Graphic DESIGN

Cassie is an executive coach, founder/CEO of ELMM Coaching and author of STEM Moms. At ELMM Coaching, she empowers engineers, leaders, mothers, and mentors to reach for their dreams fearlessly and without sacrifice. Prior to starting her small business, Cassie enjoyed 16 years working in aerospace development as a structures & systems engineer, ultimately rising to senior leader of mechanical engineering. As a mother with a leadership role in a male-dominated industry, Cassie quickly learned that sharing her experiences is the key to motivating and supporting other women on similar journeys. She hopes to further support other mothers in STEMM with the Mothers in Science team.

LinkedIn: Cassie Leonard | Instagram: @cassie_finding_balance | Website: ELMMcoaching.com

CHRISTINA GUTIERREZ FORD - EVENTS MANAGER

Christina is a lab manager at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC).  The daughter of Cuban immigrants to the US, she was the first to go to college from her family.  After obtaining her PhD in molecular and cellular pharmacology from the University of Miami, she took a career break from science to raise her 3 children. During that break, she pursued an internship in bioethics at the NIEHS, coursework in biostatistics, and working part-time as a data manager for a diabetes research group. Longing to return to scientific bench research, she joined a cancer research laboratory at UNC after a 15 year hiatus. After realising that in the years she was away not much has changed in academia to relieve the barriers to mothers, she joined Mothers in Science to help create change. 

Twitter: @christinagford  

Diane Ogedi Ugwu - MENTORING program MANAGER

Diane, a Biochemist and a mother of two charming boys, discovered a new world when she stumbled upon SciMom Journeys. This first encounter with Mothers in Science inspired her to write her own story and offer encouragement to young moms, particularly those residing in developing countries. With a profound passion for teaching and learning, Diane actively engages in Discipline-based Education Research (DBER) to foster inclusive science education and nurture creativity among life science learners in higher institutions. In addition, she advocates for women and girls in STEMM fields and beyond, striving towards a fair and supportive environment for their professional growth. She enjoys cooking native foods and writing about any subject matter that promotes scaling of social change.

Twitter: @Diane_Pcee | Instagram: @beauty_pcee

Sasha (Alexandra) Filippova - Fundraising officer

Sasha (Alexandra) is a postdoctoral research fellow at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Germany and a mother of two. Sasha studies meltwater induced ocean circulation changes in the Arctic region in the past to understand how modern climate change will affect our future. She is very passionate about the role of STEMM mothers in science and academia and she discovered firsthand how hard it is to keep the balance between having kids and successful career in academia. She joined Mothers in Science to make sure that women are not penalised in their careers for having a family. Sasha also enjoys communicating her research to a broader audience on her Instagram page or twitter accounts.

Twitter: @AV_Filippova | Instagram: @alexandrafilippova_hathorne

SAMINA NASEEB - FUNDRAISING OFFICER

Samina is a geneticist and molecular biologist, originally from Pakistan and proudly raising two exceptional daughters. She completed both her bachelor's and master's degrees in her home country before venturing to the United Kingdom to pursue a doctoral degree at the University of Manchester. She is very passionate about research and teaching and is curious to integrate her research into teaching to enhance creativity and student learning experience. Currently, she is a Lecturer in biomedical sciences at the University of Manchester. It was during the early stages of motherhood, following the birth of her first daughter, that Samina stumbled upon "Mothers in Science," a community she had been yearning for. Exploring the stories of fellow mothers on SciMom Journeys was enlightening and inspiring. She aims to contribute to initiatives promoting work-life balance and equal opportunities for mothers.

Twitter: @NaseebSamina

WINIFRED NSOFOR - JOurneys PROGRAM Manager

Winifred is a mother of two from Nigeria. She obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Biochemistry from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), where she now works as a graduate teaching assistant. She plans to pursue a PhD abroad in cancer research. Winifred was inspired to join after reading the journeys of strong and resilient mothers. Having grown up surrounded by strong women and now working in academia, she advocates for and support mothers in STEMM to achieve their career dreams and aspirations despite the challenges and obstacles they may face.

Twitter: @NsoforWinifred | Instagram: @nsoforwinifred

ASEL KABASHI - MembershipS Coordinator

Asel is a molecular microbiologist and a mother of two who is re-establishing her career after taking time away from academic science for childrearing. Prior to the career break, she was a postdoctoral researcher at Northeastern University (US) searching for new antibiotics against tuberculosis. Born and raised in Kyrgyzstan, she was trained as a medical doctor before completing her PhD at the University of Leicester in the UK. Asel recently joined Mothers in Science to advocate for caregivers in STEMM and promote workplace equality and inclusiveness.

Twitter: @asel_kabashi

Adaude Amalunweze - CONTENT DEVELOPER

Adaude is a mother of one and a biochemist, proficient in QHSE management at Dangote Cement Plc. Holding certifications from the Professional Evaluation and Certification Board as a Lead Auditor and Trainer in ISO management systems, she ensures top-notch standards in her profession. She shares her expertise by teaching undergraduates biochemistry and biology, serving as a mentor and advocate for those pursuing a career in STEMM. She finds joy in exploring new destinations and indulging in the enriching experiences travel offers. Adaude’s journey with MiS began when she attended a 2022 SciMom session where she found a supportive community as she navigated her path as a first-time mom in STEMM.

Twitter: @Ada_Superstar | Instagram: @Nwafulugo_superstar

Catarina Moreno - GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Catarina is a graphic designer and illustrator with a BA in Communication Design from Faculty of Fine Arts (University of Lisbon). She works mainly in branding, advertising, social media, editorial and events, but also loves to express herself through illustration. Besides her graphic design background, she had drawing lessons, studied children’s books illustration, and now embraced a scientific illustration course - an area the she always loved. She lives in Portugal and is a mother of a dinossaur lover and of a chemistry youtuber wannabe.

Twitter: @catarinammoreno | Instagram: @catarinammoreno | Website: www.catarinamoreno.com

Miriam Wagner Long - FUNdraising consultant

Miriam is a fundraising professional with an MS in Nonprofit Management from Eastern University (USA). Her passion for fundraising began with the work for a health-related nonprofit organisation that was funding research into finding a cure for a rare but debilitating disease. Miriam is CEO & partner of a fundraising consultancy in Germany where she resides after having lived in the USA for almost a decade. Between running her agency, she co-founded the Stiftung Leaders of Tomorrow, is co-chairing the Leadership Committee of the German Fundraising Association and a mom of an animal-loving girl.

Instagram: @miriamwagnerlong | Website: agentur-zielgenau.de

Support Team

Paola Carrillo-Bustamante

Paola is a computational biologist studying the role of mosquito physiology, metabolism, and environment in the transmission success of dengue and malaria. Having been strong, driven, and independent her entire life, she quickly realized that motherhood would require a quite different set of skills, and most importantly, a supporting community. In Mothers in Science, she found the support and understanding she needed. As a mom of one little active boy, she understands the needs of mothers in the academic system. She wants to create awareness and make sure all women have a place in the STEMM workspace. 

Twitter: @pcarrillobustam | Instagram: @paocarrillob

ELEONORA GRANDI

​​Eleonora was born in Turin (Italy) where she obtained both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in chemistry, with a focus on chemical synthesis. She obtained her PhD from the University of Groningen (The Netherlands) and she is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Washington in St. Louis (Missouri). During her PhD, she got married and had two girls. She discovered Mothers in Science when she had her first child and was looking for a community of like-minded mothers. Reading about the stories of other moms in SciMom Journeys was very helpful and inspiring to her, and she joined Mothers in Science to help support and encourage other mothers in STEMM.

Twitter: @eleonora_gra92 | Instagram: @e.grandi__

Martta Liukkonen

Martta is a PhD researcher in ecology and physiology at the University of Jyväskylä (Finland) with experience working in the non-profit sector. Before beginning her PhD journey, she obtained a MSc in ecology and evolutionary biology and worked in the development cooperation sector developing projects aimed at improving girls’ and women's education. Martta is a solo mother of a primary schooler. Beyond scientific research, she aims to be a loud advocate for women and mothers, which is why she joined Mothers in Science. She wants to show that being a (solo) mother should never be a hindrance to anyone's passion or career.

LinkedIn: Martta Liukkonen

Carey Jansen

Carey is a cancer immunologist currently pursuing a dual degree MD/PhD training at Emory University in Atlanta (USA). During her career, she has also developed a passion for developing resources and support for the physician-scientist community through her involvement in the American Physician Scientists Association and the successful launch of a podcast and blog entitled Behind the Microscope, which covers the ‘people and the process’ behind careers in science. Carey is passionate about science communication, mentoring, scientific outreach, as well as advocating for the inclusion and support of women, especially mothers, in scientific careers, which lead to her involvement with Mothers in Science.

Twitter: @careyjans 

Celeste Morínigo Báez

Celeste is a Paraguayan mother of a toddler and a PhD researcher in Sustainability Management and Industrial Ecology at the University of Waterloo (Canada) with experience working in waste management, bioconversion, and the circular economy sector. Before beginning her PhD journey, she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering at the Asunción National University (Paraguay) and an MSc in Environmental Management in the field of Sustainable Development at the University of Queensland (Australia). Beyond scientific research, she aims to be an active advocate for mothers and caregivers, especially from the Global South, which is why she joined Mothers in Science. She wants to spread the voice about the crucial importance of equal opportunities for mothers working in science to pursue their passion, aspirations, and career objectives in a more sustainable world.

Mei Lin Neo

Mei Lin is a junior group leader at the St John's Island National Marine Laboratory in Singapore. Her dream is to increase marine conservation awareness through science communication, pushing the path to use science to generate positive societal impacts. Her status quo recently 'upgraded' to becoming a first-time mum to a baby girl. From family planning to motherhood, Mei Lin had found it difficult to find relatable stories for support. Discovering Mothers in Science was a gem, and now she hopes to work with the team to build awareness and support for fellow science moms. When not working on her projects, Mei Lin writes about her favourite marine animal - the giant clam!

Twitter: @MeilinNeo | Instagram: @clamscientist