Empowering women in STEM to shine as role models

An initiative aimed at raising the confidence of women working in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields will soon be available for Australians.

Known as STEMazing, the program ran its (northern) spring 2021 program as a pilot initiative.

“The aim of the STEMazing program is to empower women in STEM to shine as visible role models,” STEMazing says. “Selected women in STEM role models hone their public engagement skills through training and workshops, and grow their confidence on camera. The role models then run six weeks of STEMazing Kids sessions online with Primary School children.”

One of the sponsors of STEMazing is World Refrigeration Day, which takes place annually on June 26 and aspires to raise the profile of the important contribution that HVAC&R makes globally across many aspects of modern life.

“STEMazing … is a four-month online program aimed at raising the confidence of women in STEM subjects, and culminates in them delivering six STEM sessions to school children,” says WRD founder Stephen Gill. “WRD sponsored 27 women on the 2021 pilot program from the HVAC&R sector mainly from the UK, but also from Africa and the USA.”

Plans are afoot to open the program to women HVAC&R professionals from Australia and New Zealand, with AIRAH playing a role in helping to select the initial participants.

“Given the pilot scheme has been a huge success both for the participants and for World Refrigeration Day, STEMazing represents a fantastic opportunity to involve women in STEM from Australasia,” says AIRAH CEO Tony Gleeson, M.AIRAH. “It’s an exciting opportunity.”

To read more about the STEMazing initiative, click here.