The success of a ‘Girls in Science’ program at Somerville House led Holly Roberts-Simmonds, an environmental scientist, to plan future mentoring programs.
The all-girls school held the program with grade 4 and grade 9 students in March last year with the aim of engaging girls in STEM sectors before they learn of the gender bias inherent in the fields.
Roberts-Simmonds said, “there was an overall 18 per cent increase in students who were more likely to pursue a career in science or engineering,” and they are expanding the program to a State High School in Queensland.
They are also running university programs that aim to aid girls in STEM during the transition from university to the corporate world.