2023
Dr Grace Causer, School of Physics and Astronomy
“My work contributes towards a sustainable future by improving the efficiency of electronic devices. I research new materials to lower the energy consumption of devices used in communication technologies. Currently, our phones, laptops, televisions etc. account for 8% of the total electricity used on Earth, with this amount doubling every 10 years.
Women scientists are particularly important in the achievement of the UN sustainable development goals as their participation ensures diversity in research and enables a gender balanced approach to reaching these goals. I love my work because each day is different. Sometimes I can be working in the lab fabricating and characterising new materials, other times I can be performing complex experiments at state-of-the-art facilities located around the world. If you are curious about the world around you, then a career in science is perfect for you.
I believe there are no barriers for women to pursue a career in science. A career in science requires self-motivation, intelligence, dedication and hard work. There will be setbacks along the way, but setbacks are part of any career, and they will only make you a better scientist.”
Dr Mengting Zhao, School of Physics and Astronomy
“The best things about a career in science are the opportunities to learn about progress in science, exploring nature, and being able to contribute to our understanding of new materials.Even today, the number of women scientists is still limited compared to other areas. Full and equal participation in science for women and girls can play a vital role in ensuring diversity in research, expanding the pool of talented researchers and bringing in fresh perspectives. This would definitely help us to achieve the UN sustainable development goals.
Long-hour working hours and achieving work-life balance can be a challenge for women in science. Women scientists should be supported to develop attributes such as self-confidence, and their hard work and dedication should be balanced with support for childcare, and a supportive work environment. I work on developing new electronic materials for faster and more efficient computing that will have a meaningful impact on future next-generation information technologies. This will save electricity consumption on information technology and will help with sustainable goals.”
Dr Karolina Matuszek, School of Chemistry
“Women scientists play a vital role in the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) because they bring diverse perspectives, ideas, and approaches to scientific research and problem-solving. Representation of women in science is important because it leads to more inclusive and comprehensive research and decision-making. Moreover, women scientists also ensure that the development goals are inclusive and responsive to the needs of all members of society, particularly those who have been traditionally marginalised.
But women scientists face many challenges including: gender bias and discrimination, limited representation in leadership roles, work-life balance challenges, limited role models and mentorship opportunities. Building a strong network of female colleagues and mentors, seeking out opportunities for professional development and leadership training, being proactive in self-promotion and advocating for oneself would all help to overcome some of the challenges in science that women face. My work is related to SDG 7, which aims to ensure access to affordable and clean energy. I am researching new phase change materials that can be used to store renewable energy.
Phase change materials collect large amounts of energy during phase transitions, such as from solid to liquid, and release that energy upon cooling and crystallisation. This technology has the potential to be implemented on both large and small scales, reducing costs and increasing the efficiency and viability of large-scale renewable energy projects, thus decreasing the use of fossil fuels. This is one of the many benefits of a career in science: we can make new discoveries that contribute to the advancement of society, solve complex problems, and improve our understanding of the world.”
Dr Scarlett Howard, School of Biological Sciences
“I use bees as a model for creating novel solutions to problems and exploring challenges. For example, I investigate how native bees have adapted to environmental change across time and landscapes to predict future vulnerabilities and develop support structures. This has implications for food security, climate change, and creating sustainable landscapes. Alongside this research, I study honeybee cognition to determine how small brains handle complex problems, with applications to energy efficiency, AI, and education.
Everyone has a role to play in addressing the challenges we face as a society and supporting the environment around us. We can only develop the best solutions to challenges when we work with diverse perspectives and give space for people to have a voice. We are facing some significant challenges, but with communication and collaboration, we can tackle arising issues with innovative and informed solutions. Many of the challenges people face in science can be lessened by having a strong and supportive community around them – friends, collaborators, bosses, supervisors, family, and colleagues. My advice is to find your place with people who support and respect you, then face the challenges together.
A career in science can be very rewarding. I get to wake up each day with an eagerness that inspires me to solve new problems and make incredible discoveries about the world around me. And I am privileged to contribute to improving our future and sharing knowledge about the natural world.”
Professor Kellie Tuck, School of Chemistry
“There is unconscious bias against women in science – it’s harder to get grants, harder to publish papers and harder to be heard. These challenges unfortunately are likely to continue in the short term. My advice is don’t give up and also make your voice heard. Having more women in leadership roles, on boards and committees and the creation of equity committees has started to improve the situation for women in science.
Women scientists have fantastic and highly important skills. They also often have the additional skills of excellent communication, empathy, and the ability to multitask. This unique skill set is an asset to science. Women can contribute to key research findings in a range of areas, including those aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).In our research group we make bespoke functional compounds that have real-world applications. These include sustainable renewable surfactants that can replace petroleum-derived surfactants found in detergents, lubricants and fabric softeners (SDG 3, 11 and 13). We are also interested in new pharmaceuticals that can be used in the treatment of cancer and chronic pain (SDG 3). For the treatment of cancer we are developing theranostics, where the agent can both diagnose and treat the tumour.
The most exciting aspect of working in science is waking up each day and not knowing what you are going to learn or discover. You also get to work with bright, and enthusiastic scientists. And you can follow your passion by researching the unknown and contributing to global issues which you can influence and change for the better.”
Associate Professor Ruth Reef, School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment
“I am an Associate Professor of Coastal Science and an Associate Dean of Education at Monash University’s Faculty of Science. Much of my work relates directly to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) particularly in areas such as life below water, life on land, sustainable cities and communities and climate action.My research focuses on climate change and sea level rise impacts on coastlines and in part how coastal vegetation can mitigate flooding and erosion while providing carbon sequestration and fishery benefits to local communities.
I do not think scientific performance is defined by gender but having scientists represent humanity in all of its diversity helps identify what type of knowledge we are seeking to uncover as a society and improves how we communicate and inform society of scientific findings.To be successful in implementing the SDGs we need to be inclusive of all society members to ensure everyone is educated and empowered to make the changes we need to carry out to minimise the impact of extremism and the power of small self-interest groups.
A career in science is a career about discovery and knowledge creation. Women face challenges in science all over the world due to long entrenched gender inequality. In Australia I believe the main challenge for women in science is to be heard: in terms of inclusion, communicating findings, getting funding for research, and getting spaces to carry out research both physical and temporal. Other challenges are more culture-specific such as confidence and visibility barriers for women who have been raised to believe in a strong gender divide.”
Dr Ngan Le, School of Mathematics
“Achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires not only political will and investment, but also policies informed by evidence. Aademics and researchers have an important role to play since policies and strategies based on science are more likely to succeed. Female scientists help increase diversity in the workforce to gain a variety of perspectives and ideas to tackle complex issues across a range of sectors including climate change and SDGs. The common challenges for women in science are lack of work-life balance, visibility, recognition and networking.
My top tips to achieve work-life balance are time management, avoiding distractions and setting boundaries between your personal and professional life.I also highly recommend that you get involved with presentations and that you take part in scientific conferences which will provide you with opportunities to increase networking, recognition from colleagues and potentially open doors to future careers prospects.
My current research centres on numerical analysis of stochastic/deterministic nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs) such as equations describing transport dynamics in complex systems, fluid flow and modelling of dynamics in ferromagnetic materials and anomalous sub-diffusion problems. These fields lie on the interface between three domains: computational mathematics, stochastic analysis and analysis of PDEs. In particular, my research aims to design novel numerical methods, grounded in rigorous mathematical foundations, that deliver robust approximations of highly non-linear models with or without random perturbations modelling physical uncertainty.”
Dr Joanne O'Donnell, School of Biological Sciences
“The best part about a career in science is being able to work on problems that I find interesting and that I care about. My days are never the same, and I have a lot of flexibility in what I do. It’s also exciting to learn about new things that have never been discovered. Women scientists are particularly important in the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the best outcomes in any problem require different ideas and input from diverse populations. Having said that though women in science face unique challenges, for example, they are disproportionately affected by family responsibilities. Finding supportive networks inside and outside the workplace are critical to managing a research workload, and finding enjoyment at work. Time management is key in balancing the work-life juggle.
I am a researcher in the Hypertension Laboratory. High blood pressure affects one in three adult Australians and is the main risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke. Inflammation and immune system activation is an important influence of high blood pressure. Our group found that a diet high in fibre can lower high blood pressure.
I want to understand how fibre does this – specifically, how fibre lowers inflammation to reduce high blood pressure. This is important because lowering blood pressure in people will decrease their chance of cardiovascular disease, reduce the chance of death and increase quality of life in older age.”
Dr Diana Robledo-Ruiz, School of Biological Sciences
“The best part of a career in science is being able to help generate solutions for the great issues in the world, for example, the conservation of biodiversity. Getting to play detective by following clues to discover new facts is also a very cool part of being a scientist!
One of the biggest challenges for women is trusting their own capabilities and recognizing their own potential. My advice? Just go for it. Apply to that scientific program, volunteer to give that talk, nominate yourself for that prize. Sometimes doing your best is all it takes.”
Dr Dionne Ibarra, School of Mathematics
“Female scientists are important role models to aspiring women scientists. Women and girls with the desire to become scientists feel empowered and represented when they learn about successful women working in science. However, in many societies around the world women are still faced with challenges from lack of access to education and limitations to starting a career due to becoming caregivers at an early age. My advice is that it is never too late to pursue a career in science.
Throughout history women have overwhelmingly taken the role as a caregiver. As caregivers they carry additional knowledge and skills which benefit their careers as scientists and their capacity to provide evidence to the areas that need immediate impact, such as climate change. A career in science is great because it allows me to be a part of something greater than myself. I help contribute to advancements in the knowledge of our world and the universe to make a significant positive impact on the world we live in.
My research involves connecting knot theory and algebra to statistical mechanics which is known as the third pillar of physics. Another part of my research consists of using knot theory to study 3-manifolds which has potential to study the universe through a theory that our universe is a geometric 3-manifold.”
Associate Professor Amanda Karakas, School of Physics and Astronomy
“Science allows you to study how the world works. Scientists ask fundamental questions, such as where did the elements in the universe come from? It is also amazing to be able to inspire the next generation of scientists. Challenges for women in science include dealing with unconscious bias in the workplace and juggling family and career. My advice is to speak up speak up and not be afraid to take credit for your work, and to follow your passion even if that includes a career in science and a family!
My research seeks to understand the lifecycle of stars and the origin of elements in the universe. The processes that make stars shine also synthesizes heavier elements from lighter elements. Once a star dies some of those newly synthesized elements are sent into space, so I am also interested in how stars disperse their newly made elements and how the chemical element content of galaxies has increased over cosmic time. Science has been particularly important during the pandemic. The obvious example is the quick response of the medical research world which enabled the development of highly effective vaccines. But science and technology have also given us a highly connected world, where we can work, teach and study from home.”