Women's Leadership and COVID-19: Spotlight on Shyama Ghosh
In this interview, we speak with Shyama Ghosh, a Belgium-based senior science editor at Clarivate who focuses on scientific data curation and research for life sciences. As past President of the Belgian Society of Parasitology, her field research in malaria, schistosomiasis and HPV infections enabled scientific collaborations across Africa, India, Europe and the United States. Shyama is committed to raising awareness about rare diseases, those that are genetic by nature as well as those considered neglected diseases and occurring in tropical countries.
How have Clarivate data and solutions been helpful in researching and understanding COVID-19?
Last August, I was honored to be part of a collaborative team of Clarivate epidemiologists who created a COVID-19 medical dashboard to help a significant vaccine manufacturer harness the tremendous volume of information emerging from various sources. We curated and coded COVID-19 literature, epidemiological surveillance data and real-world data, enabling the company to evaluate the fast-changing landscape and make informed decisions.
How have the events of the past year impacted your ways of working, including the pandemic, quarantines, shifts to remote work and/or other macro social and economic trends?
This last year has been like no other. Much appreciation to medical staff, researchers, medical journalists and everyone else who drew on their strengths to get through this period. Faced with two social lockdowns and still continuing curfews, I turned to my family and virtual circle of friends, work colleagues and daily contacts – including my local office and Clarivate Colleague Resource Group (CRG) friends (Vibrant, Women@Clarivate, Sustainability, Wellness) and my Incidence Prevalence Database team. Thank you! You all motivate me so much.
Do you have advice for women and girls interested in entering your field?
Darwin’s evolutionary theories claim that we can come out stronger from this pandemic. To the young women and girls interested in a career in medical journalism, scientific data curation and analyses, my main advice is that a sound education is the base on which you can rest your paint palette and create your masterpiece life paintings. Remember, the broader the base, the larger the palette and so the multiplicity of colors that it can hold. Open the windows of your mind. Be creative and most importantly, never stop learning.
Do you see women’s leadership role in COVID-19 research and response as a springboard for a more equitable future and recovery post-pandemic?
At Clarivate, there are many women who have taken a lead in driving COVID-19 research. Among my immediate work colleagues, I feel proud to name Annie Graul, Sheila Borgman, Jaya Deepthi Guttula, Bernadette Swords, Swarali Tadwalkar, Sukanya Selvi and Anne Lecocq – but there are many others. What really matters is not to be the strongest but to be most adaptable to change, since change is the only constant. My message to women in science: our power lies in the present, in the now.
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