Dr Helen Anderson, who recently stepped down as Ministry of Research, Science and Technology chief executive, was a guest speaker at a "women in science" breakfast, part of the New Zealand International Science Festival, at the Glenroy Auditorium yesterday.
The breakfast was a chance to connect with other scientists and speak to people who might be unsure of where science could take them, she said.
Women were vital to science, she said.
"They bring a diversity of experience and perspective.
"Underpinning it all, we need to have people brave enough to ask questions and explore ideas," she said.
The particular areas Dr Anderson felt needed more focus by women were agriculture and medical sciences.
Other guest speakers were Liz Carpenter, of AgResearch, nutritionist Nikki Hart and TV One weather presenter Karen Olsen, who moved from microbiology to meteorology, and urged the room of about 110 people to keep an open mind about the area of science in which they would like to be involved.
Festival associate director Chris Green said the breakfast was to encourage young women into the sciences.
"We wanted to show young women the opportunities available to them in science. We encouraged people to bring the younger women in their lives along to listen to the guest speakers.
"The knowledge of some of the women in the room is immense," he said.
- Annabel Reid
