A workshop for Japanese and US female scientists highlighted paths to science advancement and leadership roles, says an initial report released in late August. The Connections workshop on 5–7 July in Saitama, Japan, focused on promising research but also explored networking, mentoring and funding. Participants suggest that collaborations offer women more than just research opportunities: they allow sharing of expertise, data, tools and information on career advancement. And social networking sites such as LinkedIn can help women to find opportunities. A full report will be presented to the US National Science Foundation, a co-sponsor of the meeting, in October.