I took a break from working in the lab to attend the inaugural iAccelerate LIFT Leadership Retreat at the pictorial Sebel Kiama Hotel. Thirty PhD students, early career researchers, and academics gathered for a two-day workshop/retreat to explore what it means to be a leader as a woman in STEM. As a PhD student, I thought “Leadership” was almost too remote; leadership is for established academics or persons of higher industry ranks. However, Stephen Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” book states we should “begin with the end in mind”. Consequently, this retreat helped me underst ..read more

From centuries past to modern times, women have bravely faced countless obstacles in their pursuit of equality. Yet, as we gather at events like ‘Navigating the Glass Obstacle Course,’ it becomes clear that the journey towards gender parity is far from over. As I walked into the venue for the “Navigating the Glass Obstacle Course” event organized by the Women’s Research Engineer Network (WREN) at the Innovation Campus, University of Wollongong (UOW), I couldn’t help but reflect on the age-old proverb: “Well-behaved women seldom make history.” It’s a sentiment that resonates deeply, encapsulati ..read more

Gender discrimination is a persistent challenge in academia, felt in a variety of biases and systemic effects that undermine the careers of professionals who identify as women and non-binary around the world. This scenario is even more serious in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), which are historically dominated by men. Recognizing these biases and effects is the first step towards fighting against them and creating a more inclusive environment in higher education and research institutions. In this article, we’ll explore 16 key challenges STEM women face in ..read more

When I started my studies in Biology at the Federal University of Pampa in 2010, in the south of Brazil, I could never have envisioned the journey that lay ahead or where it would ultimately lead me. Through engaging in research, teaching and extension projects, I was introduced to an extraordinary land of white expanses and frigid temperatures – Antarctica. In 2017, I crossed the country to pursue a Master’s degree in Botany, at the Federal University of Viçosa. With the generous support of Brazilian Antarctic Program, PROANTAR, to our project Center for Research on Terrestrial Ecosystems of ..read more

The Mission In May 2023, as part of the Women’s Research Engineers Network (WREN) activities, A/Prof. Dr Julia Mendes (Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil) and Dr Nishata Royan (UOW Malaysia, Malaysia) embarked on a research mission to the University of Wollongong (UOW), Australia. This trip was funded by WREN, and aimed to foster collaboration, explore cutting-edge research initiatives, and promote gender equity in the STEM field. Throughout their visit, Julia and Nishata engaged in various activities, establishing valuable connections, and achieving significant outcomes. Exploring Sus ..read more

In May 2023, I had the great opportunity to travel and visit the University of Wollongong (UOW) in Australia. The invitation comes as part of an academic mission funded and organised by WREN, aimed to foster international collaboration, initiate new research partnerships, and promote gender equity in the field of STEM. The visit was together with Prof. Julia Mendes from the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil, and WREN’s Brazil Representative. Throughout our stay, we engaged with academic researchers, visited their laboratories and presented my area of research to the Faculty of Enginee ..read more

Celebrating International Women in Engineering Day, the Faculty of Engineering & Information Sciences at the University of Wollongong hosted a remarkable event on 23rd June. Senator Mehreen Faruqi delivered a powerful keynote address, sharing her journey as a civil and environmental engineer and the first Muslim woman to sit in an Australian parliament. The event also featured an inspirational panel discussion with accomplished women in engineering, including Dr. Rochelle Macdonald, Michaela Brown, Lauren North, and Siobhan O’Brien. Their stories highlighted their motivations, challenges ..read more

WREN2023-QuickStartGatherTips_V1Download ..read more

By Ina Oestroem How far we’ve come, and how much more there’s to be done! We have joined a crow of engaged activists at the Sydney WorldPride Human Rights Conference held at the ICC, Sydney.  This was the first time the largest LGBTQIA+ Human Rights Conference was held in the southern hemisphere, and attendees explored a number of important subjects related to LGBTQIA+ human rights as it stands today and the vision for the future.  The Conference had a full program of inspiring keynotes, panels and roundtables with interactive workshops, performances and facilitated networking events ..read more

By Prof. Julia Mendes In November 2022, WREN held the forum “Hierarchical Segregation in teaching and research: how to solve the gender gaps in STEM?”. In this forum, panelists discussed the evidence and reasons for why the greater the power and prestige of a job in STEM, the lower the presence of women in it is. Event Recording Opening the event, Prof. Julia Mendes presented her and her team from UFOP and UFJF’s evaluation of the graduate programs of Civil, Environmental and Transport Engineering in Brazil, investigating the advisor-advisee relationships by gender and analyzing the current s ..read more