Women in STEM - Accelerating progress

In celebration of International Women’s Day, this session showcases the diverse and non-linear career journeys of women in STEM. The panellists explore how a background in science and technology acts as a versatile "toolkit" for leadership, innovation and social impact—from venture capital and commercial piloting to groundbreaking medical research in neuroimmunology and molecular biology.

Host: Dr Alison Every (Director of STEM Careers at ATSE)

Moderator: Dr Katherine Woodthorpe AO FTSE (President of ATSE)

Guests:

• Dr Claretta D’Souza: Commercial Project Manager at the Burnet Institute and neuroimmunologist.
• Dr Lydia Qian: Molecular biologist, IMNIS alumni, and recent PhD graduate specialising in cellular cholesterol research.

Key Discussion Points

1. Pathways into STEM careers

• Katherine – The “butterfly" career [07:34].
• Claretta – from surgery to commercialisation [15:58].
• Lydia – combining art and science [25:57].

2. Breaking barriers & accelerating progress

• Looking at how far women have come [09:03].
• Why "you can't be what you can't see" remains a vital concept for encouraging young women to enter male-dominated fields [31:47].
• Critical thinking skills gained in science are applicable to finance, law, policy, and beyond [26:40].

3. Cutting-edge innovations

• Bio-printing to test drugs more accurately and ethically – [28:42] https://www.csiro.au/en/research/health-medical/biomedical/3d-silicone-printing.
• Potential for new technologies to replace traditional injections for diabetics [30:05].
• The role of investing in "deep tech" to solve global challenges [10:15].

4. Advice for students & educators [33:15]

• Don't feel locked into your first degree; STEM is a gateway, not a cage.
• Seek out industry mentoring programs early in your career.
• Focus on building a "problem-solving toolkit" rather than just memorising facts.

Notable Quotes

"My career has been a bit like a butterfly, landing on different flowers... but I pollinate wherever I land and that's what makes me happy." - Dr Katherine Woodthorpe AO FTSE

"I realised that for every one patient a doctor sees, a researcher can potentially help thousands through a single discovery." - Dr Claretta D’Souza

"STEM teaches you more than just how to make glow-in-the-dark bacteria... it teaches you to be curious about the world and have the critical thinking to answer questions." - Dr Lydia Qian

Useful Links

• STELR Program: ATSE’s national STEM education initiative for schools – www.stelr.org.au
• Elevate Scholarship (atse.org.au/elevate): A university scholarship supporting women in STEM.
• IMNIS Program (www.imnis.org.au): An industry mentoring network for PhD students.

Watch the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KClMpxzj_ZQ&list=PLnFiQDVo-kRYqL5UUQ1kv0YpV6E-OpOHT&index=6