Are you a woman working in STEM? This program needs your help to mentor the stars of the future
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Calling Canberra women who work in science, technology, engineering, or maths-related roles—a program that assists girls from disadvantaged backgrounds needs your help.
Supporting girls from remote and regional communities, Indigenous, CALD, and disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue studies and careers in STEM, Curious Minds is searching for those passionate about getting more women in the industry to register as coaches for a six-month-long program.
Kicking off in December, as part of the program coaches will mentor girls in Years 9 and 10, providing a critically important first-hand perspective on the exciting and diverse opportunities available in STEM disciplines.
Partnering with the Australian National University (who will host students and coaches from across the east coast of Australia at a winter education camp at its campus in July 2024), Curious Minds is desperately calling for Canberra’s brightest scientific minds to sign up as program mentors and role models.
“The saying, ‘You can’t be what you can’t see’ is particularly apt when it comes to girls who often give up studying STEM subjects at school—even if they enjoy them—because they lack female role models and can’t see where it might take them,” says Curious Minds Program Director Kelsie Dadd.
“In today’s world, a STEM education can set you up for a career in anything from forensic science, space exploration, and robotics engineering to vaccine research, marine biology, cybersecurity analysis or even food science.”
Delivered by not-for-profit organisations Australian Science Innovations (ASI) and the Australian Maths Trust (AMT) on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Education, the program comprises two four-day camps—a virtual camp in December and face-to-face sessions in July—during which students and coaches take part in group activities and workshops. Between camps, girls work on a STEM-related project directly with their mentor.
“Curious Minds is one of the only programs of its kind helping girls stay the course by connecting them with women who’ve been successful in science, technology, engineering or maths careers and showing them that there are some really exciting opportunities within their reach.” says Dr Dadd.
Want to be involved?
Canberra mentors can be from any STEM-related field and ideally will have left university in the past 10 years, with a keen understanding of the challenges young girls can face in breaking into traditionally male-dominated fields.
Every three weeks they will need to spend an hour of their time checking in with their student—mostly remotely—to provide them with any help they need. And, if possible, Curious Minds also asks that coaches dedicate one day to visiting the July camp at the Australian National University.
“A lot of our coaches are from disadvantaged or remote and regional backgrounds themselves and see Curious Minds as a chance to give back. Many of them have told us that being able to make a difference in the lives of the girls they support has been life-changing for them too,” says Dr Dadd.
With data from the STEM Equity Monitor (which was released last month) showing that girls in school years 6 to 8 in 2021-22 were less likely than boys to choose STEM elective subjects in the future—59 per cent compared to 79 per cent—and girls half as likely as boys to aspire to a career in STEM, this is a great opportunity to make a difference in a young woman’s life and close the gender gap.
It’s time to be seen so a rising star can pursue their dream.
Coaches and students can register for the 2023-24 Curious Minds intake at curiousminds.edu.au. Registrations close on September 28, 2023.
Feature image: Canberra-based coach and mentor Dr Meena Sritharan, with her Curious Minds students Anneliese Rothe, from Young, and Erin Almeida, from Ballarat.
