Joy Lawn is Professor of Maternal Reproductive and Child Health Epidemiology, and Director of the School’s Maternal Adolescent Reproductive and Child Health (MARCH) Centre. As well as being a mother of two, Prof Lawn has had many sleepless nights working tirelessly on research that will help look after the 130 million babies born every year around the world. Reflecting on a career in science dedicated to helping women and their babies, Prof Lawn also advocates the importance of having more women working in leadership positions in science.