The Young Indigenous Women’s STEM Academy (the Academy) will increase the number of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander females undertaking studies and careers in STEM. The Academy does this through targeted, long-term support to help overcome the barriers that discourage Indigenous women from pursuing STEM careers.
What is the Academy?
The Academy provides a holistic, streamlined approach to support Indigenous young women and promotes access to STEM careers through a range of opportunities, tailored to each student. This support will start before students choose critical high school subjects that enable relevant study and career progression into STEM fields.
Trends in enrolment and completion rates for younger Indigenous higher education students entering and completing university have increased substantially, so policies and programs need to shift to capitalise on these trends. Academy students will be best-placed to enter university directly from school, succeed in their studies and complete their STEM qualification.
Integrating Indigenous knowledge
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have an ongoing relationship with science and engineering that dates back thousands of years. We are co-designing the program closely with these communities and ensuring that their knowledge, technologies and processes are an integral part of the program.
Empowering a generation
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are already doing amazing things in STEM. Taylah Griffin, a proud Gangulu woman, was the first Aboriginal person to graduate in electrical and aerospace engineering in Australia. Taylah is also winner of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tertiary Student STEM Achievement Award. Read more inspiring stories.
The Academy can help you do amazing things too. We aim to empower a generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander female leaders, role models and game changers in STEM. Personalised and ongoing support from year 8 through to pre-employment will set students up for a successful STEM career.
Our Collaborators
