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I am dedicating this month's newsletter to the power of little acts of kindness.

I was on the receiving end of one this month, and the impact it had on me was more than the gifters of this act would know.

Without naming and faming, this kind gesture was in the form of a book. A signed copy of The Elements of Marie Curie by Dava Sobel that arrived in my mailbox all the way from Boston, where it was picked up for me.

But it wasn't just the thoughtful gift itself that meant a lot, but the message that came with it: ‘We immediately thought of you and the wonderful work that you do for women and anyone who loves science.'

Most of us have formal structures for recognition built into where we work or study. But when people outside of these formal structures reach out to say ‘I see you, you are doing good’, it really hits home.

Needless to say, this weekend I am getting out my card box and sending out some little notes to people in my life!

I hope you enjoy this month's newsletter as much as we enjoyed putting it together. If one of our contributors wrote something that resonated or made you simile, write them a little note to let them know 💓.

Happy reading,

Jun will also be a panellist at the upcoming Life as a clinician-scientist Victoria event hosted by AAHMS, who have kindly offered FW subscribers a $10 discount on tickets using the code RESEARCH10

Billie will also be the guest speaker for our next free Members Connect Virtual Meetup – Less lonely at the top: finding your support crew when in senior roles – tickets are still available here

When I began my career as a behavioural scientist and public health researcher, leadership wasn’t something I imagined for myself. I was drawn to research because I could see the direct benefits to society, especially when working in public health. And I wanted to help people. I had this quiet satisfaction of contributing knowledge that could make a difference in people’s lives. For many years, this work grounded me, and I was good at it. Over my career I achieved many things I am proud of – my research has contributed to public health policies, I have worked closely with health services to deliver public health programs, and I have connected with people and communities to understand what their needs are and how we can better meet those needs...

I have both coordinated and participated in mentoring programs and most of these felt like box-ticking exercises for mentors – being asked to do it, because it is the right thing to do. They are often paired with mentees based on their needs, i.e. do you want to learn more about juggling work, life and kids, or do you want to learn more about writing grants? But what mentees are looking for is beyond the daily grind. People who will really boost their careers with advice, referrals and vociferous support when they’re not in the room. They are usually looking for mentors who are sponsors...

NAIDOC! To mark NAIDOC week, which was observed earlier this month, we are sharing some of our favourite resources for learning and celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and wisdom:

Till next month, your Newsletter Curator, Amy

Thank you to the University of Wollongong Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health for investing in Franklin Women and our mission to create a health and medical research ecosystem where women thrive.