Virtually changing the reality for women in STEM
Article by Amanda Hanna | Matheson Society newsletter
You only need to look around the office, lab or lecture theatre to identify that women in STEM are underrepresented.
In fact, less than a third of those employed in scientific research are women, and male students aspire to STEM careers at double the rate of female students. The Monash Virtual School wants this to change. In 2022, the School offered Victorian girls in grades 5 and 6, and in years 11 and 12, free online study sessions in STEM. Their mission: to effect change in the gender imbalance impacting STEM by providing a boost to girls during their most crucial school years.
Thanks to the Invergowrie Foundation’s generosity, $1.2 million in philanthropic funds will go towards continuing this program for a further seven years. This follows an initial and wildly popular pilot program in 2022, also funded by the Invergowrie Foundation, which has garnered over 22,000 bookings by students this year and counting.
The program’s benefits are two-fold: pre-service teachers are helping to deliver the program, and obtaining valuable work experience in the process. Additionally, the program is actively breaking barriers through online access, attracting students from a range of geographical and socio-economic backgrounds.
Monash Virtual School founder, Associate Professor Michael Phillips says, “It is so important to remove the barriers for girls and young women interested in STEM subjects and give them every opportunity to succeed in their continued education and careers. We are proud to offer this opportunity for girls to not only take up STEM subjects, but to excel in this field.”
It’s an exciting time for the Monash Virtual School, which provides a master-class in how gifts can be directly translated into change-making initiatives, and, quite literally, how to Change It. For Future Generations.