Women in Science: From academia to the cannabis industry
I learned from my time in academia how to be comfortable as one of the only women in the room and to identify ways to change that
Written by Dr. Stephanie Lunn, Director of Medical Affairs, Aurora Cannabis Inc.
In my current role as the Director of Medical Affairs, within the Science and Innovation team at Aurora Cannabis Inc., I lead a small, though mighty, team of two capable, brilliant women who I am so proud to call my teammates. Together, we carry out Aurora’s medical research activities along with supporting numerous initiatives that utilize medical cannabis science content to ensure our internal and external messaging is consistent and accurate.
My career at Aurora began in the summer of 2018 when I joined as a Research Specialist in the biomedical science team, shortly after graduating with a PhD in Pharmacology from the University of Alberta. My graduate research focused on vascular physiology and pharmacology, where I investigated different compounds as novel therapies for restoring arterial function in cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, atherosclerosis and diabetes. If you are reading this and wondering how it connects to cannabis, you are not alone! I knew very little about cannabis before I started working in the space. In fact, when I first saw the job posting for Aurora, I did a quick search of the cannabis scientific literature and was immediately blown away by how much work was going on and how much we still needed to learn about the medical properties of cannabis’ different compounds. It quickly became apparent that this was a space that would provide countless opportunities to expand my knowledge and skillset, so I applied for the role and crossed all my fingers and toes that I would get it.
Transitioning to a corporate job from academia was an intense period of change for me. I could not have done it without the continued support of my PhD supervisors, a husband-and-wife team, who I consulted for advice on many occasions – and still do!
While I certainly took all my science skills from my PhD into my industry position, one of the most valuable skills I learned from my time in academia was how to be comfortable as one of the only women in the room and to identify ways to change that.
For those unaware, academia can be a tough place for women and for the better part of a decade, I watched my one supervisor unapologetically stand up for herself and her female students. She embodies the notion that there is room for us all at the table and I continue to admire her for this and strive to model it in my everyday life. Until the door is wide open for us all, those of us in the room must continue to ensure we open it for those that have yet to be permitted to enter.
Working within the cannabis space has, and continues to, change my perceptions of cannabis. It is definitely a space where you have to be comfortable with change and the ups and downs that come with a new industry. But the reward of this is at least once a day, I learn something new about cannabis: a compound within it, a new product format or a new area of medical research worth exploring. I went from not knowing which part of the plant you consume to quoting literature on lesser-known minor cannabinoids in months. It is easy to look at the space as one of instability, but for me, it is one that has allowed me to quickly gain experience in more areas of a medical business than I ever thought I would have interest in.
And while the list of items I have learned over the last three years is endless, the most crucial learning has been the importance of evidence-based education.
Cannabis continues to face intense stigma and the one thing that can consistently combat those negative biases is scientific education.
It was a brief concern of mine that I would miss the teaching aspect of working in universities, but never have I taught more than I have during my time at Aurora. I constantly find myself teaching to colleagues, to family and friends, and leading formal seminars, not to mention the educational content my team supports our colleagues in medical marketing and sales with. There is no denying the evidence that is amassing from the research community that medical cannabis has a place in the therapeutic toolbox for healthcare practitioners. I am so thrilled I get to be a part of generating new evidence and providing the education that is required for many of our partners in healthcare to feel comfortable in authorizing medical cannabis.
Throughout my career at Aurora, I have been extremely lucky to work with some incredible colleagues, many of which have been strong, smart and kind women to whom I owe much of my current skillset too. Some of my greatest lessons are from women within Aurora. When I first found myself in a larger leadership role, a colleague explained to me how she always likes to recommend a solution if she has identified a problem to anyone senior than her. This advice has yet to lead me, or my team I have passed it on to, astray. Others, identifying my naivete when it came to cannabis, have taken me under their wings to fill in those knowledge gaps ranging from its social and political history all the way to how to grow it. And too many to count have assisted me in navigating the sometimes confusing and overwhelming aspects of corporate life you are never taught in a science program!
Another colleague reminds me on a daily basis through her actions that one should always be authentically themselves and stand up for causes we believe in, so that even if the road doesn’t end in success, we can find comfort knowing we did the best we could. And lastly, though certainly not least, I am continuously in awe of, and strive to emulate, the empathy and compassion shown consistently by so many of my colleagues who are in charge of caring for the wellbeing of our employees. While much of the cannabis industry, including Aurora, has a long way to go before there is equal, intersectional representation at all levels, I have been impressed with the strides Aurora has made to promote and support women throughout the organization. I know that based upon the women that come to mind when I am asked if we support each other, we will all continue to work together to empower each other to reach for those highest levels of the industry.