STEM Profile: Rebecca Lee

Rebecca Lee

Science and technology business leader, chemist and advocate for STEMM education and diversity.

Rebecca Lee is a science and technology business leader and chemist with more than 20 years in Australian and New Zealand industry. She champions STEMM education, inclusive leadership and gender diversity, using science, collaboration and curiosity to create positive impact.

City/town: Melbourne

State: VIC

STEMM sectors: Science, Technology

Open to being contacted about the following volunteer roles: Board positions, Speaking at professional events/panels

Guiding principle: Celebrate your uniqueness, stay curious and have the courage to step beyond boundaries, because making a difference starts with being authentically yourself.

Areas of expertise: Strategic Leadership, Commercialisation, Business Transformation, Governance, Talent Development

Contact Rebecca Lee

Q&A

What’s a problem in your field that keeps you up at night, and why does it matter to you personally?

Ensuring science has the talent, trust and investment to solve society’s toughest challenges. It matters personally because progress in life and health depends on diverse people having the confidence, opportunity and resources to contribute their ideas.

What’s something about your field that most people misunderstand or overlook?

People often see science as laboratory work. They overlook the ecosystem around each breakthrough: people, manufacturing, supply chains, regulation, customers and commercial decisions. Science makes its greatest impact when these disciplines connect around a shared purpose.

What’s a small, everyday habit or mindset that has made a big difference in how you approach your work?

I stay curious and ask, “What am I missing?” That small pause helps me test assumptions, listen to different perspectives and separate the problem from the first solution. It leads to better decisions and creates space for others to contribute.

What role does creativity play in your work, and how do you nurture it?

Creativity turns complex problems into new possibilities. The thinking that created a problem rarely solves it, so I seek perspectives beyond my own, connect ideas across disciplines and give people permission to test, learn and improve without fearing every failure.

What is the thing you enjoy most about your role?

The variety and the opportunity to make a difference. No day is the same: I can support my team, solve a customer challenge and help science positively impact life and health. Connecting people, purpose and outcomes is what gives my work meaning.