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Sudbury researcher chosen for women-in-leadership program

Dr. Tammy Eger is one of 95 women from around the globe who will embark on prestigious 12-month program.
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Dr. Tammy Eger is a professor of human kinetics and the research chair at the Centre for Research in Occupational Safety and Health (CROSH) at Laurentian University in Sudbury. (Supplied photo)

Dr. Tammy Eger, who heads up the Centre for Research in Occupational Safety and Health (CROSH) at Laurentian University in Sudbury, has been chosen for a prestigious leadership program for women in science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine (STEMM).

Eger is one of only four Canadians among the 95 women from around the world who have been chosen to participate in Homeward Bound, a 12-month intensive leadership program, which will culminate in a three-week journey to Antarctica to learn about climate change and polar science.

The 10-year global initiative aims to equip 1,000 women in the STEMM fields with the skills to lead and to influence policy and decision-making in ways that will help to create a sustainable future for the planet.

“I am absolutely thrilled to have been chosen for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Eger said in an Aug. 16 news release.

“I look forward to meeting the members of my cohort, sharing our experiences and collectively working to increase global leadership opportunities for women in STEMM.”

Eger has more than 15 years of teaching and research experience and currently holds a Research Chair in Occupational Health and Safety. She has delivered keynote lectures in Australia, China, Sweden, Peru and the United States. In 2017, Eger co-led the development of a mobile lab to support research in occupational safety and health in rural and remote regions of Ontario.

As an undergraduate, graduate and research coordinator, Eger has collaborated to promote diversity in STEM. Tammy holds a Master’s degree and doctorate in biomechanics from Queen’s University, where she also played ice hockey, a sport she continues to play in her spare time.

According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS), less than 30 per cent of the world’s researchers are women.

“Even fewer women are in leadership positions in STEMM,” said Dr. Eger. “Initiatives such as this are critical to provide leadership training for women and to raise awareness about gender issues in these fields.”

The 12-month program has four core development components: leadership development, strategic capability, visibility and science communication, and science collaboration.

Delivered by an expert global faculty, Homeward Bound comprises lectures, personal and leadership development tools, coaching sessions, visibility training and the opportunity to develop meaningful collaborations in forums, in teams with a focus on areas of interest, and in small diverse cohorts.