Women in STEMM Australia (WiSA) is a not-for-profit organisation founded in 2014, that is widely recognised nationally and internationally as a leading advocacy organisation in Australia for women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM). Our key purpose is to connect, empower and advocate for women and girls in STEMM to have equality in the Australian workplace. We consider women in STEMM as those with STEMM qualifications or experience working in and/or enabling STEMM in industry, research, education, and government sectors.
Women in STEMM Australia welcomes the opportunity to provide a submission to the Diversity in STEM Review. The recommendations presented here are a compilation of the responses received to our online survey, which had 36 respondents. These are from a diverse audience of predominantly women, including intersectionalities such as neurodiverse, culturally diverse, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD), LGBTQIA+, and people of colour from sectors across academia, research, government, industry, startups, media, schools/TAFE and commercial.
By analysing the feedback and suggestions provided by the survey respondents, this submission aims to provide a comprehensive approach that encompasses various aspects of diversity and fosters a more inclusive environment in STEM.
We have broadly summarised the survey responses into three main target areas:
- Women in leadership/role models
- Recruitment without bias
- Culture in workplaces