Australia's Women in STEM Ambassador

The Australian Government Women in STEM Ambassador

The Women in STEM Ambassador is an Australian Government initiative to address gender inequities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Led by Professor Lisa Harvey-Smith, first appointed in 2018, the Office of the Women in STEM Ambassador influences and mobilises Australia’s business leaders, educators and policymakers to increase the participation of women and girls in STEM. Our vision is to make STEM a place for all Australians.

We work with stakeholders to eliminate barriers to attract, retain and progress them in STEM study and careers. The Women in STEM Ambassador provides high-level independent advice to Ministers on matters relating to gender equity in STEM.

The work we do is collaborative and based on evidence. We find what works to address inequities in STEM through outreach, research projects and a national digital campaign for children, parents and carers.

The Office builds and hosts free resources to ensure Australian parents, educators, students, workplaces and people running equity programs create a sustainable and equitable future. We work closely with government, education, research and private sector organisations to advocate for changes in systems and structures to enable the full participation of women and girls in STEM education and careers.

The Office is funded by a Commonwealth Grant and is hosted at the University of New South Wales. Our work complements the existing work and activities that drive gender equity in STEM; the Australian Government’s Advancing Women in STEM Strategy and the Women in STEM Decadal Plan.

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What have we achieved so far?

hours of outreach activities

schools visited across Australia

unique participants

0 million

people reached through media

Trialling the anonymisation of research grants igniting system-wide change in grant allocation processes in STEM in Australia

Driving a culture of evaluation and only funding what works

parents, carers and educators reached through Future You

Future You microsite engagements

Vision

We are a leader in action for gender equity in STEM, encouraging and empowering girls to pursue STEM study and careers and advocating for systemic and cultural change across the sector to retain women in STEM and drive innovation.

Purpose

To increase the participation of women in STEM in Australia by encouraging women to pursue STEM study and careers and working with the STEM sector to eliminate barriers to gender equity.

Two pillars drive the achievement of our purpose

Attract

Encouraging and empowering girls to pursue STEM studies and careers

Supporting teachers and parents/carers to encourage girls’ STEM interests

Increasing awareness of the barriers to girls’ participation in STEM in education

Increasing the visibility of diverse women in STEM role models

Raising awareness of the diverse and exciting career possibilities in STEM

Retain and Progress

Increasing awareness of the barriers to women’s participation in STEM

Engaging with stakeholders across the sector to drive action to address gender inequity

Supporting the sector to address inequities which prevent organisations from retaining women in STEM fields

Increasing the awareness of an intersectional lens when addressing the barriers faced in STEM

Isabelle Kingsley is a presenter on stage

professor emma johnston and professor lisa harvey smith in front of a speaker podium at the national press club

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How can we help?

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Student

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects are not just for scientists and engineers – they are for everyone. By learning how to think creatively and critically, problem solve and to work collaboratively, students will equip themselves with integral skills for jobs of the future.

STEM is fun, interesting and diverse and can lead to many exciting careers, such as video game designers, veterinarians and even builders.

Students can explore STEM subjects and careers through the events, videos and resources here.

Find out how you can change the world with STEM on The Girls in STEM Toolkit website.

Parent/Carer

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learning helps children to develop skills in problem solving, critical and creative thinking and collaboration. These life skills underpin new and exciting careers of the future.

Participation rates of women in engineering, computing and physics in high-school, tertiary education and VET are low. Parents and carers play a vital role in influencing children’s perception and confidence around STEM subjects and careers. The language used in conversations, books they read, toys they play with and the technology they use, all impact on choices that children make.

More than ever before, parents and carers are busy supporting, guiding and engaging with their children’s education. Useful resources, events and videos to help engage children with STEM can be found here.

Discover ways to get kids interested in STEM on The Girls in STEM Toolkit website.

Educator

Educators play a critical role in creating learning environments that encourage girls’ participation in STEM subjects. They also influence the study and career choices of young women.

You will find links to research about gender equity in STEM education, resources to encourage girls’ participation in STEM and information about STEM careers here.

We have developed National Evaluation Guidelines to assess outcomes and impacts of programs that support women and girls’ participation in STEM. Find out more and access the guidelines here.

Create an inspiring STEM environment with The Girls in STEM Toolkit resources.

STEM Professional

Employers of STEM-skilled workers have a shared responsibility to reduce attrition of women from the STEM workforce. This can be achieved by removing barriers to women’s career progression and creating inclusive and respectful workplaces.

The Office of the Women in STEM Ambassador has developed a National Evaluation Guide to assess the outcomes and impacts of programs that support women and girl’s participation in STEM. Find out more and access the Evaluation Guide here.

A national peer-reviewed trial of anonymised ranking in the assessment of research funding and research proposals with Australian STEM research organisations is also being conducted by the Office. Find out more here.

Useful resources about gender equity in Australia’s STEM workforce and measures that workplaces can implement can be found here.