When my younger sister was going through the process of getting a summer internship this year, one of the questions we anticipate that might come up in the interview was "Who is your role model?". And I am not one of those people who worship pop stars even though I am an eighties child. Considering that we are both females, it was quite hard to think of an academic or business female role model. We did better on the atheletic or human rights front (Mia Hamm, the Williams sisters, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Mother Theresa etc.) but ofcourse these are not so relevant.
Or maybe I know them and they are just not cropping up. I tried to think of a few but it is a short list - Margaret Thatcher, Oprah, Marie Curie (not really new or a paractical role model).
I can think of so many male ones... (and No Stu it is not because males are better)!