The five L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Fellows
On April 3, hundreds of budding female scientists from secondary schools across Western Australia were given a glimpse into their future careers as part of the first Girls in Science Forum held in Perth.
Co-hosted by The Kids Research Institute Australia, Curtin University and L’Oreal Australia, the fully-booked event gave high school students rare access to some of Australia’s finest female scientists, the five L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Fellows, including two Perth-based researchers, Curtin University’s Dr Katarina Miljkovic and Associate Professor Asha Bowen from The Kids.
Dr Miljkovic, who leads the only Australian research group working on the current NASA InSight mission to Mars, and Associate Professor Bowen, whose work aims to end skin disease for Indigenous children, joined the other L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Fellows, the University of Melbourne’s Dr Airlie Chapman, the University of Queensland’s Dr Kirsty Short and Dr Stefanie Zollmann, from the University of Otago.
Curtin University Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry said she was delighted to co-host the Girls in Science Forum and personally welcomed the 300 female high school students to the University.
“Curtin is honoured to co-host the first Girls in Science Forum held in Perth because it presents an exciting opportunity for the next generation of female scientists and leaders in STEM to fine-tune and further develop their passion for science,” Professor Terry said.
“These students heard from the very finest female scientists and professional role models Australia has to offer – including Curtin’s Dr Katarina Miljkovic, a leading planetary scientist whose current research centres on the Red Planet, and the other equally esteemed L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Fellows.”
The Kids Research Institute Australia Director Professor Jonathan Carapetis said the Institute was proud to be partnering with Curtin University and L’Oreal Australia to help educate and inspire the next generation of women in science.
“The Kids Research Institute Australia is committed to being champions of gender equity, diversity and inclusivity,” Professor Carapetis said.
“This is a commitment we are proud of and hope will pave way for greater opportunity for women in science, particularly in senior positions.”
The school students who attented the forum came from 31 metropolitan secondary schools as well as Karratha Senior High School.
The Girls in Science Forum was held at Curtin University’s Perth Campus on Wednesday, April 3, at full attendance.
On Thursday, April 4, the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Fellows also held a forum for Early Career Researchers and Higher Degree Research candidates at Curtin St Georges Terrace.
About Curtin University
Curtin University is Western Australia’s largest university, with more than 56,000 students. Of these, about 26 per cent are international students. The University’s main campus is in Bentley near the Perth CBD. Curtin also has a major regional campus in Kalgoorlie in addition to four global campuses in Malaysia, Singapore, Dubai and Mauritius.
Curtin is ranked in the top one per cent of universities worldwide, with the University placed in the top 200 globally and 9th in Australia according to the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) 2018.
The University has built a reputation around innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit, being at the forefront of many high-profile research projects in astronomy, biosciences, economics, mining and information technology. It is also recognised globally for its strong connections with industry, and for its commitment to preparing students for the jobs of the future.
For further information, visit curtin.edu.au.