The Women in STEM Breakfast, attended by selected Years 7-11 students was held by Catholic Education South Australia and sponsored by Optus, at the Adelaide Convention Centre.
Over breakfast, students were able to participate in quizzes, listen to inspirational speakers, and engage in a student led Q&A panel. The purpose of this breakfast was to provide young women with role models who currently work in STEM occupations. It is when young women can see themselves ‘reflected in the role’, they are more likely to pursue a career in that field. In the words of Marian Wright Edelman, “You can’t be what you can’t see”.
Research conducted by the Australian Council for Educational Research indicates that women are less likely to enrol in STEM courses; less than one in eight women commencing tertiary education enrol into a STEM field. The research also found that if we are going to make any difference to these statistics, we need to create opportunities for young women to see themselves in STEM-related careers, such as opportunities like this breakfast.
Julia Groutsch
Learning Leader
