Katie Allen (Higgins, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

STEM is one of the essential keys that will help unlock Australian jobs for the future. As a scientist, I'm proud to be part of a government that is committed to unlocking our great nation's potential with additional funding to support growth in STEM—science, technology, engineering and mathematics—particularly in schools. But, importantly, our investment in STEM has a laserlike focus on increasing the participation for women and girls, including those from traditionally underrepresented groups, including young Indigenous women. As a female scientist, I want our girls to be geeks. It's cool.

To advance that vision, recently I convened the very first 'go girl' women in STEM event hosted by Lauriston Girls' School in my electorate of Higgins, bringing together four amazing Superstars of STEM—and that is the term—who are all champions in their chosen fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics and are very keen to smash society's gender assumptions about increasing the public visibility of women in STEM. The four superstars of STEM are all Higgins locals: Dr Maria del Mar Quiroga, a research data specialist from the University of Melbourne; Grace Lethlean, co-founder of ANDHealth, a national initiative facilitating commercialisation of new digital health technologies; Crystal Forrester, an aerospace engineer and Lead for Space Structures in the Aerospace Division at the Defence Science and Technology Group; and Dr Jennifer Fan Gaskin, Research Fellow and Unit Lead at the Centre for Eye Research Australia. I thank them for taking the time to answer questions from young and aspiring students from schools right across Higgins who are keen to pursue a career in STEM. These four superstars of STEM join over 150 women who are role models for young women and girls right across Australia. They've been funded by the federal government to be our ambassadors.

It was great to join the Superstars of STEM for another virtual event hosted by the amazing students from another school in Higgins: Sacred Heart Girls' College in Hughesdale. These young women at Sacred Heart Girls' College are ready to embrace a career in STEM and took the opportunity to learn from the very best in the field. 'What inspired these superstars to pursue a career in stem?' they asked. 'What does a day in the life of a scientist look like? How are women treated in the industry?' These were just some of the thought-provoking topics discussed at the forum, and I was very proud to enable that to happen.

I strongly encourage all young women across Higgins and Australia to pursue a career in STEM. The Australian government has committed more than $100 million in funding to increase women's participation in STEM. By undertaking these programs, we are powering up Australia's ability to stay globally competitive, break down gender barriers and help women to get better jobs.

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