Professor Asha Rao has had a long and impressive career in the fields of mathematics and cyber security.
"I started at RMIT [University] as a casual tutor about 30 years ago, then rose through the ranks to become a professor, and for about six years I was associate dean of mathematical sciences," she said.
As both a woman and a migrant — she moved to Australia from India in 1991 — Rao says she's faced many barriers.
"When I first came to Australia … and spoke to people about a job, I would get the response, 'oh I'll make a note that you speak good English'. Why would you assume that because of the colour of my skin that I couldn't speak good English?"
"I would write research grant applications, and almost invariably, I would get the reviewer saying 'oh she's doing too much, this cannot be feasible.' On the other hand, a reviewer thought I was male and said 'he is doing so many wonderful things' ... so you can clearly see the bias that is there."
Rao said experiences such as these can discourage underrepresented groups from pursuing careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and related fields.
"We are haemorrhaging women and diverse people, especially diverse women. You can only fight for so long, and then you give up."
How to overcome such barriers has been the focus of a major review commissioned by the federal government. The final recommendations of the were released on Tuesday, following 12 months of public consultation, conversations and research, led by an independent expert panel, with support from the Department of Industry, Science and Resources.
Students at Sarah Redfern High School in Minto in Sydney’s southwest. Source: SBS News / Abbie O’Brien
"We've known for quite some time that women are underrepresented in STEM roles, but there are also people from First Nations or culturally diverse backgrounds that aren't employed in STEM roles as much as we need. We need to tear down all the barriers that are holding them back."
Challenges in the STEM sector
Sally-Anne Williams, the CEO of Cicada Innovations, a Sydney-based incubator for startups on science and engineering innovations, chaired the review. She said the research highlights several challenges within the STEM sector that must be addressed.
"If we're going to take an opportunity to advance Australia economically … and have an opportunity for people to build science and engineering founded businesses in this country, we need to have pathways and opportunities for people from every single walk of life and from every single corner of our community," she said.
The report made 11 detailed recommendations, including the establishment of a dedicated diversity advisory council to guide the government and mobilise change.
"There's an incredible groundswell of programs of opportunities that are happening at the grassroots level across this country, particularly in the education sector and some in industry, but they're not well coordinated, and they're not necessarily linked up," Williams said.
"So having a coordinating body … a group of people that can be regularly consulted and brought into the conversation to bring that firsthand experience, I think can go a long way."
Asha Rao agreed an advisory council would be beneficial but stressed the need for it to be diverse.
"Different genders … we need people who are coming from diverse and multicultural backgrounds, and further, people coming from multicultural backgrounds with a diversity of experience — that is one of things that is missing."
Williams said grant and procurement processes for STEM-related programs also need to be changed.
"We've heard this time and time again, particularly from migrant communities … highly qualified STEM professionals, [who've] really struggled to find work and struggled to make a connection into the network of people to actually find those job opportunities because there was no visible pathway into them.
"Do we put things out in multiple languages so that we can actually have the broadest participation of people applying for opportunities?"
She said the research also acknowledged a bias within hiring and screening processes, citing a Melbourne-based study that
"It's such a missed opportunity for employers to get great talent and great people that not only have the technical skills that you need, but actually probably a lived experience quite different from your own. It's a lose-lose situation if we don't address those things."
Call to prioritise First Nations researchers and scientists
Another key recommendation is for the federal government to prioritise First Nations researchers and scientists for funding for projects that "affect or draw from First Nations Knowledges and knowledge systems." It noted too the need for industries and institutions to recognise First Nations Knowledges as valid and valuable.
Boosting female participation in the STEM workforce should also be a priority, the report found, highlighting the importance of early engagement.
"Sometimes you have initial interest from young women to be involved in STEM careers and then they drop out," Husic said.
Women remain underrepresented in year 12 STEM subject enrolments. They make up less than a quarter of students enrolled in IT, physics and astronomy and engineering-related subjects.
The review suggests enhancing the current Women in STEM program suite, as well as establishing programs for other cohorts underrepresented in STEM education and jobs.
Keeping students engaged in STEM subjects
Last year, Sarah Redfern High School in Minto, in Sydney's south-west, introduced a specialised program that aims to keep students engaged in science-based subjects.
"What we do is we do something called individual education plans, and that's where we sit the students down, we actually find out what they want to do with their lives in their futures or what they're interested in. And we tailor the STEM curriculum to them," Cameron Rodgers, head teacher of innovation at Sarah Redfern explains.
"We don't just have coders or software developers or robotics experts. We have students that want to be doctors and lawyers. We have students that want to work in the sports field."
Year 8 student Sahana Rajesh said the program helped her realise ways she can turn both her love of sport and science into a career.
Sahana Rajesh says the program helped her realise ways she could turn her love of sport and science into a career. Source: SBS News / Abbie O’Brien
The program is helping aspiring surgeon Yoshitha Senthil Kavitha, also in year 8, foster her love of biology. "I like to study the human body, genetics and physiology," she said.
Year 11 student Preet Kaur is also hoping to study medicine. But she hasn't ruled out engineering as a career. Her father, grandfather and great-grandfather were all engineers.
Preet Kaur (right) and Yoshitha Senthil Kavitha study at Sarah Redfern High School in Mintowhich introduced a program that aims to engage students in science-based subjects. Source: SBS News / Abbie O’Brien
Williams hopes the recommendations will be taken on board, stressing the need for long-term, consistent strategies.
"I think we'd be shaping a legacy for generations to come."
