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Dr Ruwangi Fernando, an accomplished IT expert, AI specialist and founder of STEM Sisters, joined us as the panel chair.
The panelists included:
Ruwangi shared some interesting statistics on STEM that highlight the opportunities available:
Ruwangi asked the panellists what the highlight of their studies or career has been:
The people Javiera has met, the networks she has built, and the support systems have been very important to her. She has attended conferences and been inspired by people in her field and has loved connecting with like-minded people with similar values.
Victoria’s highlight is working underground! One of her current projects is taking place in the first underground physics laboratory. It is located in a goldmine in regional Victoria and is one kilometre deep. She had to go through a lot of training to be one of the few people who can go there. They are using a detector which will search for dark matter.
Gabriella’s majors are biochemistry and physiology and so her highlight is the practical element of her studies. In biochemistry she looks at things on a molecular level and studies things like viruses. For Physiology she looks at organs and muscles. Another highlight for her was working alongside PhD students in the research lab, where she felt she was helping to make a difference.
When Adiba started her studies, she was very nervous. But she soon gained confidence when she started achieving high grades. Eventually, she was offered internships and additional projects that gave her hands on experience. She was even able to present some of her research at a conference in Melbourne. Her current job makes her feel grateful every day as she is constantly learning new things.
Ruwnagi explained that having women in STEM is not just an agenda for women, it benefits the entire society. STEM focusses on innovation which is driven by diversity. She asked the panel what we need to do to attract more women to STEM.
Some of the things discussed included:
As it was highlighted above, the need for support services for women in STEM is important. The panel discussed some of the services that they’ve found helpful:
The speakers provided so much value and shared more of their stories and experiences. Watch the recording above to also hear:
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