Naming the Barrier: Research confronting inequality in STEM careers

Prof Kohyar Kiazad, 2026

Purpose

Kohyar Kiazad is passionate about research that tackles grand challenges around equality and wellbeing, including disproportionate employee turnover in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Growing awareness of the systematic inequalities that advantage some groups while marginalising others has shaped both his work and his sense of responsibility at Monash Business School. His ARC-funded research into STEM employee turnover sheds light on disproportionate attrition among women, racial minorities and people from underprivileged backgrounds – voices too often marginalised in research and organisational decision-making. This evidence has also informed an evidence-based career program now in development.

Practice

Kohyar led an international research team in a special issue of the prestigious Journal of Organisational Behavior focused on STEM employee retention. Special Issues in this journal are highly selective, with the journal accepting a maximum of two proposals each year. They are expected to lead research on timely and important topics, attract high-quality submissions with relevance to broad audiences, and be guided by editors recognised as international authorities in the field. Alongside this research leadership, Kohyar is developing an evidence-based career program focused particularly on the barriers facing women in STEM, working in collaboration with Monash University's Athena Swan Committee to ensure the program is relevant, supported and capable of creating practical change.

Output

The special issue generated around 60 high-quality submissions, of which eight were accepted. These articles focus on career barriers experienced by women and racial minorities, consistent with the special issue's mission. Published in a prestigious and widely read journal, the collection provides a platform for evidence that can shape future research and organisational practice on STEM retention.

Outcome and impact

It is still too early to report the long-term outcomes of the career program, which remains in development. The ambition, however, is clear: to translate research on inequality into a practical, evidence-based program for women in STEM, first across Monash and, over time, across other Group of Eight universities. By connecting research leadership with institutional action, the work builds momentum towards STEM careers in which more people have the opportunity to stay, progress and thrive.