UQ to boost gender equity in STEM

The University of Queensland will help boost gender equity in Australia’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) organisations as part of an Australian-first pilot program.

The Australian Academy of Science, in partnership with the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, has selected UQ as one of 32 inaugural institutions to be part of the Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) pilot.

“Women comprise more than half of science PhD graduates and early-career researchers, yet only 17% of senior academics in Australian universities and research institutes are female,” said UQ Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning) Professor Doune Macdonald.

“This is the sort of statistic that we’ve been working to counteract for some time at UQ, through programs such as Women in Engineering, the Career Progression for Women Program and fellowships to attend conferences,” she said.

The Australian SAGE program is based on the Athena SWAN program, which has operated in the UK for 10 years and has shown significant results in improving gender diversity and bolstering women’s leadership roles within STEM institutions.

The Australian program will feature training workshops on gender equity and gender equity accreditation for universities, medical research centres and government research organisations that are participating in the pilot.