A new survey commissioned by CSL has revealed more than four in five Australians think medical research is vitally important to the country’s future.
The findings of the survey are supporting the launch of a new campaign designed to celebrate the contribution of medical scientists in leading the world out of the pandemic.
The ‘Everyday Trailblazers‘ campaign features eight CSL scientists including a samurai sword-wielding research biologist, a women’s football-playing influenza vaccine production coordinator and a vintage car enthusiast who worked on the company’s COVID-19 vaccines programs.
The campaign seeks to challenge stereotypes about people who work in science, demonstrating that these superheroes are relatable as ‘everyday’ people; parents, partners and friends, with eclectic personal interests and passions that inspire the creativity needed to drive new and better medical solutions.
According to the survey, 39 per cent of respondents described medical researchers as modern-day superheroes, but four out of ten people (44 per cent) do not believe they receive the praise they are due for developing breakthrough medicines.
“Trailblazers are pioneers who are willing to take risks and forge a path where none currently exists. Trailblazers are innovative thinkers who challenge the status quo, opening new frontiers for others to follow,” said Dr Michael Wilson, CSL’s vice president of research.
“A crisis breeds trailblazers. The world has seen some wonderful examples of these throughout the pandemic, with medical scientists applying innovative thinking to find solutions at record speed.
“The passion of our medical scientists around the world delivers on our promise to make life better for people everywhere. They are creative, driven people who are willing to take calculated risks in service of big ideas. We’re very proud of our colleagues and excited to share their stories with the world – and hopefully inspire others to forge careers in life sciences,” said Dr Wilson.
Despite 42 per cent of survey respondents describing medical scientists as creative problem solvers, only one in ten (14 per cent) think they would be really interesting people to hang out with.
