CSIRO’s Young Indigenous Women’s STEM Academy opens applications

The Young Indigenous Women’s STEM Academy, an initiative by the CSIRO, has announced that applications for its next cohort of students are now open.

According to the CSIRO, there’s been a significant uptick in enrolment and completion rates among younger Indigenous students in higher education. As such, it says that it is crucial for policies and programs to evolve and tap into this potential.

The Academy aims to provide the tools for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to succeed in studies and careers related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

The program offers long-term guidance from year eight through the end of high school and tertiary education with the aim of culminating in a STEM career. This includes immersive STEM camps, internships, networking sessions with industry stalwarts, and personal cultural journeys.

The program itself is Indigenous co-designed and led, with 14 of the 17 Academy teams identifying as First Nations women, including those in senior leadership roles.

“Through actions and words, the Academy is breaking the stereotype of what STEM professions are and what STEM professionals look like,” Kim Dyball, manager of the Academy, said.

“The Academy supports young women to connect their interests and passions with a STEM career and helps them identify a pathway to that career.

“Additionally, the Academy connects the young women with Indigenous female STEM professionals, so they can learn from their lived experiences and how they overcame any challenges along the way.”

Under Dyball’s stewardship, the Academy has been instrumental in fuelling the dreams of its students, while also emphasising the role of indigenous ancestors in the annals of scientific history.

“Academy students are inspired to dream big and create new pathways for themselves. Their Academic Coordinators facilitate journeys by creating local networks, developing peer support, nurturing interests and providing support to access various STEM opportunities,” Dyball said.

The program offers individual support to students and connects them with seasoned Indigenous female STEM professionals, as well as celebrates Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia’s first scientists, engineers and mathematicians.

Managed by CSIRO in collaboration with Career Trackers, the Academy is financed by the National Indigenous Australians Agency. The holistic approach to education ensures that students receive tailored opportunities, laying a strong foundation for their future.