L’Oréal Women in Science Forum

 

Advancing Equality In SCIENCE: 2024 L’ORÉAL-UNESCO For Women In Science Student Program

 

In November, L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science will celebrate five trailblazing female scientists from Australia and New Zealand in Melbourne, Victoria. These standout early-career researchers will receive prestigious Fellowships and vital funding to fuel their groundbreaking work.

Each year the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Australia & New Zealand Fellows share their stories with students through a Girls in Science program. GTAC is excited to partner with L’Oréal-UNESCO to provide you and your students with an opportunity to hear from the Fellows including their research, their experience as women scientists and their pathway to becoming a scientist. Each scientist will present an engaging and digestible 3-minute thesis followed by an opportunity to meet the Fellows.

You will also meet 5 of our GTAC STEM Coaches, practicing researchers who will showcase their discoveries by providing students with an opportunity to use the research technologies they use in their work to investigate the Life Sciences.

This is a free event.

 

Who: Students in years 7 – 10

When: Wednesday 13th November

Where: GTAC, located on the grounds of University High School, 77 Story Street, Parkville, 3052

Time: To be confirmed. Based upon interest from schools we will run either one or two programs on the day. The event will run for approximately 2.5 hours

Register your interest here

 

Why a focus on girls in STEM?

 

The world needs science, and science needs more women —fast. Only 4% of Nobel Prize winners in science are women, and at the current pace, gender parity in STEM is two centuries away, according to the World Economic Forum. In Australia, the 2024 STEM Equity Monitor shows women hold just 15% of STEM-qualified roles1. But this isn't just about equality—it's an economic game-changer. A 2023 McKinsey report reveals that doubling the share of women in Europe’s tech workforce to 45% could inject an extra AUD$420 billion to AUD$1 trillion into the economy by 20272.

There is progress in Australia, solidifying the importance of programs such as L’Oréal UNESCO For Women in Science to accelerate efforts to bridge the gap. The 2024 STEM Equity Monitor reports a 76% jump in women in STEM-qualified roles in Australia from 2014 to 2023.

1 Australian Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources. (2024). STEM Equity Monitor: Data Summary Report 2024. Retrieved from https://www.industry.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-07/STEM-Equity-Monitor-data-summary-report-2024.pdf

2 McKinsey & Company. (2023). Here’s why we need more women and girls in STEM. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/themes/heres-why-we-need-more-women-and-girls-in-stem