A hop across the pond – and career paths – for science.
As a teenager growing up on the Isle of Wight in Great Britain, Alison Hayles found herself torn between two passions: music and science. Upon leaving high school, Alison chose to follow her inner voice and pursue a career in science, a decision for which she will be forever grateful.
What nurtured your interest in a STEM educational path and career?
My first job after high school was working in a lab at our local water company. A mentor suggested I stick with science (rather than music), so I enrolled in a school similar to a community college in the U.S.
What degree did you earn after high school?
A bachelor’s degree in microbiology from Kingston University in London.
Can you briefly describe your career path?
Throughout my studies I continued to work at our local water company and then joined a pharmaceutical company in England as a microbiologist. In that role I started preparing regulatory documents to support submissions and approvals. I’ve served in that function ever since at several pharma companies and then joined Astellas in 2008.
What is the best part of your job?
What drives me is knowing that what I do to help develop drugs for people with cancer can make a difference in the lives of patients and their families. I love to do the right things, effectively and with integrity, throughout all aspects of my work responsibilities.
What advice can you offer to girls and young women who might be interested in a STEM career?
Listen to your inner voice, for there are many ways to achieve a fulfilling career. For example, just because going to university immediately after high school is the traditional pathway, if it’s not right for you, follow that inner voice. Sometimes you have to be very brave to do that.
What do you know now that you wished you knew in elementary school and high school?
Had I known that things would work out so well by following my own inner voice, I would have avoided much of the stress and anxiety that I felt during those years.