Along with Australia’s first Defence Space Commander Cath Roberts and CSIRO senior executive Elanor Huntington, Jane MacMaster will again participate in a program to mentor women and non-binary people looking at careers in STEM.

The Superstars of STEM program, run by Science & Technology Australia, matches 60 women and non-binary people to industry experts to help boost their communication skills and provide a sounding board on other leadership matters, to further their career opportunities not only in STEM but also the media, for public speaking and in schools.

The Superstars of STEM initiative aims to transform the visibility of women and non-binary talent in STEM – and smash gender assumptions about who can work in science, technology, engineering and maths. 

Chief Engineer Jane MacMaster says it is an important initiative that will make a positive impact in addressing the gender imbalance. 

“Our Women in Engineering report found engineering courses are rated relatively poorly for providing a supportive and inclusive learning environment and culture. For those in the engineering workforce we found one in five have experienced bullying or exclusion of women in their workplace.”

“Our recommendations included supporting initiatives like this one which focuses on mentoring for women in STEM and networking and opportunities for students to engage with industry.”

In the next 18 months Ms MacMaster and other mentors will share leadership insights and practical advice – opening their doors and contact books – to help the Superstars on their career journey.

Mentors include highly experienced CEOs, top senior executives, Parliamentarians, Chief Scientists, company directors, and media broadcasters. You can see the full list on the Science & Technology website.

Ms MacMaster says the mentees are highly capable scientists, technologists and engineers and the mentors can both share their experiences and provide a sounding board, but the benefits flow both ways through networking and sharing of knowledge and ideas.

Being part of this program was important for Ms. MacMaster because Engineers Australia’s research shows that mentoring and networks is an important way to retain women in STEM. 

In engineering in particular, women represent just 14 per cent of the engineering workforce which is only a small step forward over the last five years. 

“The dial is moving in the right direction, but at a snail’s pace. Nearly 70 per cent of Australia’s female engineers have come from overseas which means the proportion of young Australian girls we are inspiring to study engineering is very small and that’s such a missed opportunity,” Ms MacMaster says.

“Engineering is a fulfilling, rewarding, inspiring and very fun career and it is also critically important to meeting most if not all of the country’s priorities – thriving regions, net zero emissions and the energy transition, cyber security, and resilient infrastructure and critical systems among others.”

Ms MacMaster and the other mentors will regularly meet with their Superstar of STEM to give support and advice as they navigate their career and grow their public profile.

You can learn more about the Superstars of STEM program on the Science and Technology Australia website.