IWD 2021: Sian Fussell - Empowering Women in Innovation

As part of International Women’s Day, we interview Sian Fussell on her role at Albotherm, her views on women in business and what a more gender-balanced world-view means to her.

Tell us about your role. 

I am currently finishing a PhD in functional nano-materials at the University of Bristol and am the co-founder of Albotherm, an agri-tech start-up company. In my role as CTO, I am involved in both fundamental research and product development, as well as helping to drive the business forward. We design temperature responsive coatings that passively cool surfaces, to minimize energy usage and reduce CO2 emissions. 

What do you enjoy most about your job?  

I love that my job is research focused; I have always wanted to be a research scientist and it is really rewarding to turn research outputs into potential products with real-world applications. I also love how varied the job is, meaning no two days are the same and I am constantly learning and facing new challenges. 

And what are the most challenging aspects? 

The combination of starting a company whilst also finishing my research degree is what I find the most challenging. The work environment in a start-up is also very different to a research lab; it requires changing how you think about problems and planning outputs, which is also challenging. 

What 3 things do you think you need to progress as a woman in business?

I think to progress in business you need to be passionate about what you do; if you are inspired and driven to achieve your goals, it resonates with your team members and others around you. 

I think it’s also essential to have a good team around you, with a variety of skills, in order for a business to be successful. Therefore, having a team of people with a range of expertise and experiences helps improve the strength of any business.

I think you also need to be resilient, it is not a straight forward journey with lots of obstacles and challenges to face along the way. Therefore, being able to keep the end-goal in sight and adapt to your situation is crucial to keep moving forward and succeeding. 

What are the biggest challenges the future generation of women in business face?

For me, the biggest challenge faced is standing out; it is still a very male dominated industry, so it is often the case that you will be the only female in a meeting.

I think this can be used as an advantage by encouraging people to take note of the imbalance and encourage more women to pursue business careers. I think this is a good time to be a female in science and business, as there is a lot of positive encouragement of female entrepreneurs, in a way that did not always exist. 

What can the next generation bring to business that previous generations may not have?

I hope that business in the future is more diverse and has a culture of inclusivity. I think encouraging a stronger foundation for the importance of mental health and having a healthy work life balance will also come as future generations enter the work place. 

What does a more gender-balanced world-view mean for you?

I think a gender balanced world for me is one where you aren’t referred to as a female scientist, but rather a scientist, as it won’t be unusual for females to have these roles. A world where it will be noted that you are successful and making a difference based on your ideas and achievements, without gender being a notable factor. 

How can we enable more women to take a place at the board-room table?

I think as more and more women are successfully entering the business world, then a more diverse work environment will ensue. I think it is important to encourage people you meet to pursue careers in science and business and to showcase successful women, so that everyone is inspired that they can achieve the same. 

How can businesses evolve to be more gender-balanced?

I think it is important to reduce stigma around women in business. A more gender balanced business, in my mind, is one where gender balance isn’t about hitting prescriptive diversity targets, but about achieving what is best for the success of the business therefore resulting in a more inclusive and balanced company. 

What advice would you give to young women and men starting out in business today in context of promoting a more diverse world-view?

The advice I would give is that you can’t do everything yourself and having a supportive and diverse team of advisors and colleagues is key to success. Everyone has a different skill set and talking people through your ideas and questions will also bring clarity to your decision making. 

What women inspire you and why?

I think any woman who works hard to do something they love and make a difference inspires me. I have met so many women through doing my PhD research and they are all amazing and inspirational scientists.