AFGW actively promotes science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) to women students

Members of the Darling Downs Branch of Graduate Women Queensland

On 19 November 2015,  members of the Darling Downs Branch of Graduate Women Queensland, a club in the regional city of Toowoomba, met to report on the success of their three 2015 bursary awards: Agricultural Science (Hons) student to complete research into beef cattle fertility; Education (Biology and Maths); and Engineering.

These bursaries are example of the many scholarships offered annually in all Australian Federation of University Women (AFGW) clubs assisting women and girls to undertake further study and research, in STEM disciplines. AFGW is a very active representative member of the National Women’s Alliance: economic Security4Women (eS4W), funded by the Australian Government, which is currently involved in promoting women and girls into non-traditional occupations and industries.

In April 2015 eS4W launched the Girls can do anything website. The importance of  highlighting examples of women working in STEM fields, including skilled trades, was a key finding of research eS4W commissioned last year, to explore strategies that encourage secondary school girls to consider all career options.

For many years, AFGW has used several strategies to advocate for better funding, access and provision of STEM courses suitable for women: e.g. submissions to government enquiries and letters to politicians at national and state level. Most recently, advocacy has concentrated on the deficiencies in gender reporting of women’s participation in STEM at Vocational Education and Training institutions.

See the AFGW Website for all advocacy and responses during 2015.