The Whole Truth: Leadership Stories with Sarah Perugia28 Maj 2025

#8 – Anya Topiwala – Legacy: What Championing Women in STEM Actually Takes

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Anya Topiwala, an award-winning medical researcher, psychiatrist, and lecturer. Anya graduated from Oxford University before going on to complete her DPhil in Psychiatry, and she’s since made an extraordinary impact in the field by exploring the links between alcohol and dementia. Recognised with major research grants from the Wellcome Trust, Anya is a champion for evidence-based medicine, women in STEM, and inclusive leadership in academia.

In this episode, we talk about:

(05:59) Balancing academia and motherhood

(09:21) Gender bias in science research

(12:05) How alcohol affects dementia risk

(16:16) Aspiring to a coaching leadership style

(20:15) Why confidence and collaboration matter

(22:54) Championing women in science

(24:21) Key takeaways on leadership and legacy

Anya’s story is a powerful reminder of how diversity isn’t just a values issue – it’s essential for better science, fairer workplaces, and improved outcomes for everyone. This episode is filled with actionable insights for women and allies looking to lead with impact, courage, and compassion.

About the host

Sarah Perugia is an expert women-in-leadership coach and whole-person leadership transformation specialist, dedicated to empowering female leaders to thrive. With 20 years of experience, she partners with organisations across the globe to develop and retain top female talent, strengthen the female leadership pipeline, and promote gender equality in senior roles. Drawing on her background in acting, neuro-linguistic programming, and Positive Psychology, Sarah empowers leaders to advance their careers, build confidence, enhance performance, and ultimately flourish and thrive. Her offering includes one-on-one executive leadership coaching, group workshops, and bespoke programmes.

If you’d like to learn more about Sarah and her work with women in leadership, you can find out more here: https://www.sarahperugia.com/women-in-leadership/

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and more!

Contact and Connect

Connect with Sarah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-perugia-leadership-coaching/

Anya’s Work: https://www.psych.ox.ac.uk/team/anya-topiwala

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