Supporting women returning to vision science careers

A new project led by Dr Bethany Higgins at City St George’s, University of London aims to strengthen support for women returning to academia and clinical research roles in vision science, following the award of a Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF) Social Impact Award.

Dr Higgins, a Research Fellow in the Department of Optometry and Visual Science, will lead the project in partnership with Women in Vision UK (WVUK), a national professional network where she serves as Vice President. The funding will help address long-standing challenges faced by women re-entering academic or hybrid clinical roles after career breaks and will provide the foundation for future initiatives to improve gender equity across the vision science sector.

“I’m a post-doc in the Department of Optometry and Visual Science and did my PhD in the Department, so I feel very connected to this community. I wanted to find a unique, meaningful way to give back and support colleagues at City St George’s across both campuses,” said Dr Higgins. “I’m also Vice President of the national group Women in Vision UK and an Athena Swan rep for the Department. So working toward gender equity is something I care deeply about.”

Addressing a critical gap

According to Dr Higgins, the idea for the project emerged from conversations with colleagues across City St George’s and other optometry departments around the UK. These discussions highlighted a recurring issue, namely the significant barriers faced by women returning to academic or clinical research careers after time away.

“These returners often face loss of momentum, reduced confidence, a perceived or real disadvantage in hiring and promotion, and limited awareness of available support, funding, or mentoring schemes,” she said.

Despite the size of the UK’s vision science community, Dr Higgins noted that there has been no systematic effort to understand these challenges or provide tailored guidance. “There has been no formal mapping of the returner experience, no structured needs assessment, and no sector-specific guidance to support women in vision reintegrating into research or academic pathways,” she said.

When the HEIF Social Impact Award opportunity arose, Dr Higgins saw it as a way to bring together WVUK’s community knowledge with City St George’s academic expertise. “I felt this was the perfect opportunity to create a partnership between two distinct groups: Women in Vision UK as a community body with identified needs, and City St George’s as an academic institution offering complementary expertise,” she said.

“Thankfully, the team at City St George’s felt the same way, and I won the grant! My first City St George’s-based funding as a lead applicant.”

Building a re-entry framework

The project is currently in its early stages and will focus on developing a Vision Careers Re-Entry Support Framework. This framework will bring together insights on challenges, existing support and opportunities across the sector, and it will guide future return-to-work pathways for professionals re-entering vision-related careers.

“This project will strengthen WVUK’s capacity to support returners and will inform WVUK activities,” said Dr Higgins. “It will also support City St George’s students, staff and alumni, and provide the foundation for future funded initiatives aimed at improving gender equity in vision science.”

She added: “I’m very excited for this project and look forward to the collaboration not only with peers across the Department of Optometry and Visual Science but also the wider community here at City St George’s.”

Celebrating Women in Vision UK at City St George’s

The grant builds on the growing partnership between City St George’s and WVUK, which hosted its Annual Meeting 2025 at the University in late 2025. Titled “Leading from the Heart”, the event brought together professionals from eye care and vision research to explore leadership, career progression, research funding and professional identity.

One of the keynote speakers was Marsha de Cordova, Labour MP for Battersea, who has nystagmus and is registered blind. Her career spans the voluntary sector, eye health charities and Parliament, where she has held senior roles including Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities. Another keynote speaker was Naresh Joshi, a leading consultant oculoplastic surgeon and founder of multiple international professional societies.

Reflecting on the event, Dr Higgins said the meeting was a major success, noting that “one of our sponsors hailed it the best conference they had attended in 20 years.”

Founded in 2017, Women in Vision UK now has more than 350 members and offers networking, mentoring and career support. As Dr Higgins has highlighted, members benefit from a “mailing list where you can advertise or look for job opportunities, grant opportunities and travel bursaries.”

With this new grant, City St George’s and Women in Vision UK are taking a significant step toward building more inclusive and supportive career pathways for women in vision science.