Shaping the future of STEMM: Accelerating progress in gender equity through collective action

Monash staff are invited to celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on Wednesday 11 February 2026, reflecting on ten years of progress in gender equity, diversity and inclusion in STEMM at Monash and exploring what lies ahead as we continue to push the boundaries of inclusion and equity in STEMM for future generations. Hosted by the Athena Swan Steering Group in partnership with the STEMM Women Academic Network.

Register here

Date: Wednesday 11 February 2026
Time: 1.00pm - 2.30pm AEDT  | 10am-11.30am MYT | 9am - 10.30am WIB
Format: Hybrid (in-person and Zoom)
Location: Chancellery Room, Chancellery Building, Clayton Campus

Enquiries:  gender-equity@monash.edu

The event will open with remarks from Professor Susan Elliott AM, Provost and Senior Vice-President, and Professor John Carroll, Dean of Biomedical Sciences and former Chair of the Athena Swan Committee. This will be followed by a panel of inspiring Monash women sharing their perspectives on progress to date and the actions needed to continue advancing gender equity in STEMM.

Meet our panel members

  • Professor Nicoleta Maynard, Engineering
  • Associate Professor Vanessa Wong, Science
  • Dr Rebecca Lyons, Information Technology
  • Associate Professor Jessica Borger, MNHS

Panel MC

  • Associate Professor Jennifer Neil, Faculty of MNHS, STEMM Women Academic Network Advisory Group member

Gender equity in science is crucial for building a better future for all. However, women and girls continue to face systemic barriers and biases when pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM). Despite significant progress, women remain underrepresented in these fields.

A key driver for advancing gender equity in STEMM was the introduction of the globally recognised Athena Swan accreditation program in Australia, led by Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE). Monash has been on this journey for the past decade, and in 2025, we became the first Group of Eight (Go8) university to earn the Athena Swan Silver accreditation. This important milestone highlights the strength of our efforts to drive systemic change, embed inclusive practices across the university and the use of rigorous, evidence-based methods to further our ongoing commitment to advancing gender equity, diversity and inclusion.