Watching ideas unfold

Teresa Stanek Rea is an attorney in the Alexandria, Virginia, office of Buchanan Ingersoll. She focuses her practice on patent preparation and prosecution, infringement and validity opinions, licensing matters and interferences in the fields of biotechnology, pharmaceutical chemistry, immunology, specialty chemicals and export control.

What’s your favourite thing/least favourite thing about your job?

My favourite part of the job is being so close to cutting edge technology. I have the opportunity to watch ideas unfold and develop into practical, real-world applications. I work with the top experts in a number of fields and I am able to interact with those experts on a daily basis. Perhaps the least favourite aspect of my job is attending to a myriad number of matters at one time. My time is controlled by the needs of my clients. I rely on a group of talented colleagues to maintain a balance.

How is science business - i.e. the business of science - changing for women?

I believe that the business of science is wide open with opportunities for women. As more and more women become involved in science, the opportunity to combine science with business becomes more and more of a reality. More women are entering science, engineering and computer science related fields. As women become aware of the opportunities, they will play greater and greater roles in the business of science.

What are the top three trends affecting women in the business of science?

There are several trends that affect women in the business of science. Perhaps the greatest impact is the increasing value of intellectual property. A diversity of thought and perspective is essential to create and protect and develop intellectual property. Thus there are increased opportunities for women and the perspective that they bring. Diversity and creative thinking are highly valued. Further, more young women are entering science and science-related fields than ever before and this leads to a greater number of women in the business of science.

What advice would you give to young women looking to make a career in the business of science?

I would recommend that young women obtain an undergraduate degree in science or a science-related discipline. Science offers a wonderful platform irrespective of where life takes you. The scientific way of thinking is advantageous in solving problems and addressing issues. Science covers a very broad range of technologies and it is not limiting. I would recommend that young women take some risks when considering a career. Your career will be an evolutionary process and it can lead to a number of opportunities that may very well result with a career in the business of science.

What are the big ideas that affect your work at present?

The biggest idea that affects my work at present is the global nature of our society. My clients have a global perspective and they require counselling and guidance in the international as well as the domestic arena. The international perspective significantly expands the scope of the business of science.

Are there any differences in the ability of women to get ahead in different science-based industries?

There may be some differences in the ability of women to get ahead in different science-based industries. The number of women in the different science-based industries is not proportionate. I believe that the likelihood of women getting ahead is significantly enhanced by the number of women in each scientific discipline. Women typically gravitate to the biological sciences and there are many women involved in the area of biotechnology. There are many female leaders in that discipline. The interest of women in engineering seems to have reached a plateau and the need for female engineers is greater than ever before. Fewer women have achieved leadership positions in engineering. Perhaps the greatest need is in the area of computer science. Since the number of women entering that profession is rather low, fewer women are recognised as being leaders in that discipline.