Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

This week is National Science Week, the annual celebration of the contributions of Australian scientists to the world of knowledge. Science supports jobs in health, education, construction, ICT, mining and agriculture, and we know that science will be a vital part of our jobs of the future.

Today I would like to recognise the contribution of women in science and highlight the importance of breaking down the barriers to increasing women's participation in the upper echelons of STEM and the jobs of the future. Research shows that women account for half of PhD graduates but only 17 per cent of senior academics at Australian universities. Remarkable work is being undertaken by women in science, but it is not always translating into greater involvement in the sector.

National Science Week is helping to draw attention to this through 'The League of Remarkable Women in Australian Science' exhibition, showcasing the achievements of 40 highly successful female scientists who have followed their passions, staked their claims on the frontiers of science and made some remarkable discoveries.

One of these remarkable women in Australian science is from my electorate of Newcastle—Dr Nikola Bowden. As a molecular biologist working at the University of Newcastle, Dr Bowden was the first to report on the relationship between DNA repair and chemotherapy resistance in melanoma. Since this groundbreaking discovery, Dr Bowden has moved into researching ovarian cancer, developing better ways to diagnose and treat patients. (Time expired)

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