Women in Science Symposium 2025

Peter Mac’s popular celebration of women researchers will take place on Friday 28 February.  

Held in advance of International Women’s Day, the annual half day Women in Science Sympsium is free, and open to the public.

The 2025 program is spearheaded by two keynote speakers - Peter Mac consultant medical oncologist and clinical researcher Professor Shahneen Sandhu, and Victoria’s first ever Public Sector Gender Equality Commissioner Dr Niki Vincent. 

They will be joined by the 2025 Lea Medallists, who will be revealed on the day, and passionate consumer advisor Diane Fisher. 

Dynamic audience Q&As will be moderated throughout the morning by symposium hosts Associate Professor Laura Forrest and Dr Lorey Smith. These two Peter Mac researchers are passionate advocates for equity, and themselves former Lea Medallists.

All the morning's speakers will reflect on their personal experiences, and examine the current equity context in health and medical research. They will highlight the value of supporting women in research careers to thrive through the lens of their own boundary-pushing work.  

The Lea Medal recognises excellence in Peter Mac early and mid-career researchers who identify as women, providing $50,000 for career advancement opportunities thanks to the Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation. This year, two Lea Medals will be awarded - one to a laboratory resercher, and one to a clinical researcher. 

Colleagues of all gender identities from across the Australian research community are invited to listen, learn, and connect, at this positive and forward-thinking celebration. 

Register here to attend in person or online. 

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Professor Shahneen Sandhu 
Consultant Medical Oncologist and researcher, Peter Mac 
Professor Sandhu is a key member of the Melanoma and Uro-oncology units at Peter Mac. She leads clinical, translational and laboratory research in skin cancers and prostate cancer. Her major focus is on designing and conducting biologically driven clinical trials, translating laboratory findings into new clinical treatments, and studying biomarkers of response and resistance to treatment. Professor Sandhu sits on multiple international advisory panels and has been principal investigator on multiple investigator-initiated and practise-changing registration studies in melanoma and prostate cancer. Over her career to date, Professor Sandhu has received multiple awards and published over 220 peer-reviewed research articles - several in high-impact journals. She is passionate about advancing gender equity and mentoring young female researchers to build their own successful careers.
 
Dr Niki Vincent 
Victoria’s Public Sector Gender Equality Commissioner 
Dr Niki Vincent become Victoria’s first Public Sector Gender Equality Commissioner in 2020 and was reappointed for a second term in 2024. She oversees implementation of Victoria’s Gender Equality Act, playing a key leadership role in promoting gender equality in communities and workplaces. Dr Vincent has a wealth of experience in gender equality and organisational leadership, having established two successful not-for-profit organisations and has led major programs of academic research. Dr Vincent has met with hundreds of organisations across the state to support their efforts for a fairer future for women and girls. She is dedicated to reducing the harms that result from gender inequality and using data to guide and track our progress. 

INVITED SPEAKERS

The 2025 Lea Medallists
The 2025 Lea Medallists - one laboratory and one clinical researcher from Peter Mac who identify as women - will present their work and reflect on their career experiences.

Diane Fisher
Peter Mac Consumer Advisor
Diane is a proud member of Peter Mac's 300-strong Consumer Register team. She is passionate about change, and balance is a mindset she embraces in both her personal and professional life. Employing her professional change management skills and experience of cancer, Diane has advised on Peter Mac research, as well as collaborations impacting clinical care, governance, and cancer education. She is one of two consumers on Peter Mac's Outpatient Services Steering Committee, and is currently working with four PhD researchers in the breast and prostate cancer streams.