Baroness Professor Susan Greenfield is a name that resonates across the fields of neuroscience, pharmacology, and philosophy. A leader at Neuro-Bio Ltd company, a member of the UK House of Lords and a pioneer in Alzheimer’s research, her journey is anything but conventional.
Last 3 February, Baroness Greenfield came to UniSR to give a talk about her research around new approaches to treat Alzheimer’s disease.
We sat down with her to discuss her transition from studies in the Humanities to the laboratory, the challenges of being a woman in science, and her unique vision of what it means to be a leader.
You’ve had a long career in science. How did you first enter this field, and how has it changed since you began?
It might come as a surprise to you, but still in school I thought that science was boring and instead preferred Philosophy, Latin, Greek, and Ancient History. Hence, I went to Oxford to study Philosophy, but back then the university required you to pair it with another subject.
For this reason, I chose Psychology, which eventually led me toward the physiological aspects of the brain.
My tutor suggested I see the professor of Pharmacology, who first asked me if I knew what a millimolar solution was. I honestly said, "No”, and then he replied, "Well, never mind, you can tell us about Homer during the coffee breaks!" [she laughs].
This was truly inspirational and I hope that here at San Raffaele it’s the same: Oxford put a premium on enthusiasm and motivation over checking boxes – you don’t learn something for the sake of getting a good job.
Rather, you learn something because you are enthusiastic about it and if this is the case, then you should be allowed to have a go.
Was there a particular figure who inspired you to keep going when things got difficult?
Later in my career, I was deeply inspired by your compatriot, Rita Levi-Montalcini. I find incredibly poignant what she did during the Mussolini era- set up a laboratory in her kitchen when she was barred from being a doctor. She was an extraordinary example of beauty and intellect, even at 103 years old.
As a woman in science, what kind of challenges have you faced, and do you feel the landscape is different for young women today?
The challenges are similar, but the difference is that in my day, you couldn’t complain. I remember being a graduate student and a postdoc, and a colleague kept calling me a square peg in a round hole, because I hadn't done science before. There were times I wanted to cry, but I never let them see it. You must never let them see it get to you, because that gives them power.
Today, there is much more awareness and sensitivity to the problem. In this regard, my advice to young women is to talk to others. If something is upsetting you, talk it through with another woman or a mentor.
What advice would you give to men who want to help fight this bias?
We all should treat someone as a person before they are a man or a woman. That’s all everyone wants. Whether it’s gender or ethnicity, people just want to be recognized as the unique individuals they are: we are "us," people, not categories.
You lead your own company now. What does it take to be a true leader in a high-stakes environment?
Being a leader is a big responsibility because the buck stops with you. I have 18 people depending on me to pay their mortgages and support their families, so if I want to be a good leader, I must put my people before myself and worry about their welfare and their pay before my own.
Moreover, a leader has a vision.
Think of Martin Luther King and his "I have a dream". A leader shares a dream and the team "buys into" that dream and works hard to make it a reality. A shared vision gives the whole team a sense of belonging and ownership.
You started in the Classics—Latin and Greek. How did that background influence your scientific mind?
Since I didn’t have a traditional background in science, I wasn't afraid to ask stupid questions in this field. Also, Latin and Greek provide an incredible intellectual discipline and a burden on working memory that trains the mind and feeds your attention. I never regret it. In fact, if I ruled the world, I’d have everyone study them!
What is your final message for the students at UniSR, our future doctors, psychologists, and philosophers?
Be yourself, which sounds easy, but it is so liberating. Be honest and open; people can detect when someone is "faking it." You might not be popular with everyone, but they will respect you because they know they can rely on what you say. And finally: never lose your sense of humor. Nothing is ever quite as terrible as it seems in the moment.