fLorence Cotel has always been a keen observer of the world. From a very young age, she began noticing something was wrong with her mother’s mental health. One night, at the age of eight, Cotel discovered her parents whispering about her uncle’s debilitating schizophrenia.
“My uncle had seen stones flying,” Cotel recalled. “I froze. It wasn’t just my mother. It wasn’t just me who struggled with emotions. My uncle’s mind was slipping away too. The weight of it all crushed me.”
Cotel remembers backing into a corridor and sliding down against the wall, tears stinging her eyes.
“I couldn’t just sit there, powerless,” she said. “Something inside me screamed to do something, to find a way to help. Then, my gaze landed on a shelf full of books. That was it. The answer.”
That night, the young girl decided she would dedicate her life to studying the brain. She would pursue a life investigating emotions, hallucinations, and mental illness. Through books and logic, she believed she could find a way to unlock the brain’s secrets and better understand mental illness.
In Paris, where she was raised, Cotel was chosen to be part of an accelerated program in secondary school, where she was surrounded by strong female role models who excelled in science. She eventually embarked on a degree at Sorbonne University, cultivating a drive to help women and non-binary individuals connect with their potential—especially when they doubted themselves.
“Despite my success, I often found myself thinking, I can’t be as good as they say I am,” Cotel said. “[Yet] I am strongly opposed to the idea that a person’s capacity is limited by their gender.”
Cotel’s work has taken her around the world. In 2016, she was working as a researcher at the University of Queensland when she came across an advertisement for a program called Homeward Bound. The expedition for women would travel to Antarctica and facilitate female leadership in STEMM. The program’s ethos spoke to the keen scientist.
“I’ve always been a strong believer in the power of collaboration, and I loved the idea of creating a space for a tribe of people committed to making a positive impact,” she said.
“Antarctica seemed like the perfect place to disconnect from our busy daily lives, reconnect with the bigger picture, and engage in deep reflection. I wanted to apply to find my tribe and become an agent of positive change.”
Cotel submitted her application for the program’s seventh cohort (#TeamHB7) on her 40th birthday. It included both the physical expedition to the icy south, and a year-long online workshop program. Taking the online component of the program convinced Cotel that she wanted to start her own business, and she decided to pursue that for the coming year, instead of heading to Antarctica.
She recalled one life-changing moment during a one-on-one session with Deeta Kimber, HB7’s wellbeing expert.
“I realised my self doubt had been making me add unnecessary steps and milestones to my journey,” she said. “Unconsciously, I had been creating excuses to postpone the biggest challenge—the one I had set for myself when I was eight years old. Right then, I decided to resign and build my own business focused on burnout prevention—my ideal scientific model and dream mission. I haven’t looked back. I still have doubts, but I don’t listen to them anymore.”
Homeward Bound’s core mission is to elevate the leadership skills of women and non-binary individuals by empowering them with strategic thinking, personal goal setting, wellbeing, and collaboration. Established in 2016, the non-profit organisation is dedicated to supporting women with STEMM backgrounds to lead with impact and influence for a sustainable future.
Since its founding, the program has supported and connected leaders across 55 countries through an alumnae, called the Busara Circle, and supporters within a global network of individuals from more than a hundred STEMM fields. To date, Homeward Bound has run eight flagship online programs with six expedition programs to Antarctica.
This May, the program will take participants to Tanzania for the first time, where they will visit vibrant communities, including the Serengeti, while forging connections and strengthening their leadership skills. The two-week expedition to the East African country will be part of the 12-month collaborative leadership experience which is delivered online via weekly sessions and one-to-one coaching.
Cotel, who now lives in Sydney, is one of the hundreds of alumna who have gone on to make scientistic breakthroughs and impact their community.
Cotel said she speaks to her Homeward Bound sisters several times a week. Some have become close friends, regularly catching up in person to share insider information and career opportunities.
“We feel understood and supported by this community,” she said. “We’ve been through similar experiences and share the same values.”
“What I love most about Homeward Bound is that it creates a space where we can show up exactly as we are—with our strengths and successes, but also with our flaws, failures, and doubts. There’s no pressure to conform to a certain standard; we can simply be ourselves. That, in turn, allows us to connect with our potential, develop it, and truly thrive.”
Homeward Bound’s CEO Sarah Derry is currently on an expedition in Antarctica with over a hundred participants. She told Women’s Agenda the experience has been one of great connection and privilege.
“To have the opportunity to spend this time together, to hear other people’s stories and know whilst we come from different places and experiences there is so much, we can do together to create positive change —it is humbling,” she said.
“The knowledge and wisdom of the group is huge. Coming together like this does not happen very often, and the awe of the location adds another layer of appreciating how vast the world is and how precious.”
Derry, who stepped into the role as CEO last October, said she is excited about the direction her organisation is taking with the upcoming HB10 cohort. The applications are now open, and close March 3, with the online program starting in May and the experiential destination to Tanzania departing late November.
“Homeward Bound will continue to create a unique opportunity for women and non-binary people with a STEMM background to come together and learn, in a new destination for accessibility, exposure and inclusivity,” she said. “The vision is to build a global collaboration of women and non-binary individuals with STEMM backgrounds that are visible, collaborative, networked to impact change for the greater good.”
Derry believes women with a STEMM background offer a unique perspective and opportunity with their knowledge and vision. Many of the Homeward Bound participants are working on complex ideas that will impact medicine, research, social science and economics.
According to Derry, the collective wisdom of the group is what makes them unique.
“We need to have all voices at the leadership table to create the positive change the world needs,” Derry explained.
“Right now, leadership is under pressure, in many places around the world and the ‘usual’ ways of leading persist without the necessary diversity of thought. Leadership and communities are better when we all work together and listen to different perspectives and experiences.
“That’s the hardest part of leadership staying open to people who we may have differences of opinion or don’t share the same experiences. As a leader appreciating that every person has a story that is as important as anyone else’s is critical to making a positive impact.”
For Cotel, her experience with her cohort almost a decade ago has left a lasting impact. She is currently developing a new program that will help people build the structures they need to achieve their goals and thrive.
She is also in the middle of designing a research project on the brain mechanisms underlying burnout and endurance.
“Over the next two years, I also hope to complete a performance (with the help of my HB sisters) where I’ll run for 24 hours, joined every 30 minutes by a different person for a conversation about burnout. Through this, I want to raise awareness about burnout and show people that it’s possible to pursue ambitious goals while staying healthy.”
Final call for #TeamHB10 applications:
Stepping into a leadership position, or wanting to advance your current leadership role, can feel overwhelming. However, the good news is that you don’t need to do it alone. Join #TeamHB10, a collaborative developmental program designed to support you transition into becoming a leader for the future.
Our program connects you with a network of like-minded women and non-binary leaders with backgrounds in STEMM and supports you on a journey of self-reflection and discovery. As you develop your leadership philosophy, you’ll reflect on your strengths, identify growth areas, and gain valuable insights into your leadership style.
The Homeward Bound program is open to:
– Women and non-binary individuals with a background in STEMM
– Those committed to driving positive change in their community or field.
– Emerging and established leaders ready to engage in self-reflection, collaborative problem-solving, and global impact.
The future you’ve envisioned for yourself is within reach. Spots are limited. Applications close on 3 March 2025.
https://homewardboundprojects.com.au/apply/hb10
Image credit: Homeward Bound