Motivation
Gender inequity in STEM is a pervasive issue facing Australia. From the 2016 census, women made up only 16% of STEM qualified workers1. Furthermore, when looking at the pay disparity, 32% of male STEM graduates earn in the top income bracket, compared to just 12% of female STEM graduates2. With STEM industries continuing to expand rapidly, and demand for STEM graduates in the workforce increasing, the lack of diversity in the STEM workforce will only serve as a waste of potential, and negatively impact overall scientific productivity and performance. But what can we do to improve gender equity in STEM?
A number of key initiatives have been introduced in Australia over the past few years to tackle the STEM gender disparity, including the Women in STEM Decadal Plan, the Male Champions of Change in STEM programme, and most notably the Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) initiative. In 2019, the Australian government also announced a $3.4 million investment in gender equity programs for STEM to improve participation of women and girls in STEM pathways3.
ANU is one of the participants in the SAGE pilot program and was awarded the SAGE Athena SWAN institutional Bronze Accreditation Award in 2019 to recognise its progress towards gender equity in STEM4. However, despite this progress, there is still much more that needs to be done towards achieving gender equity in STEM, not only at ANU, but in Australia as a whole.
The lack of diverse STEM role models, notably the absence of non-binary and women of colour representation, is an area which leads to the inaccessibility of STEM-based jobs for many individuals. For ANU, and Australia, to achieve gender equity in STEM, it is first and foremost vital for us to advocate for diverse representation in STEM. Advocating for just one minority in STEM isn’t sufficient.
Fifty50 aims to advocate for diversity and equity in STEM by tackling the STEM pipeline at the university level and leading all the way up to STEM-based industry and academia. We hope to do this by improving the visibility of diverse role models, establishing strong mentoring programs for students, advocating for continued policy change regarding gender equity in Australia and engaging the wider community in these important discussions. By creating a space for the continued discussion and advocacy for gender equity and diversity in STEM we hope to make the STEM workforce more accessible for everyone. This is crucial as without a diverse STEM workforce, Australia cannot move forward in its STEM performance.
1 https://www.chiefscientist.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-07/australias_stem_workforce_-_final.pdf
2 https://www.chiefscientist.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-07/australias_stem_workforce_-_final.pdf
3 https://scienceandtechnologyaustralia.org.au/australia-continues-to-lead-in-stem-gender-equity/
4 https://www.anu.edu.au/news/all-news/anu-awarded-bronze-sage-athena-swan-accreditation
