Science & Technology Australia is proud to announce the members of its inaugural Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee.
The committee will guide the formation of practical EDI resources for STA members, and advise STA on how best to advocate for a diverse and inclusive science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) sector in Australia in which all participants are valued and respected.
Committee members are:
Dr Amy Heffernan Royal Australian Chemical Institute
Corey Tutt Deadly Science
Professor Judith Dawes Australian Optical Society
Dr Muneera Bano Computing Research and Education Association of Australia
Sam Moskwa Australasian e-Research Organisations
Dr Sanam Mustafa Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale Biophotonics
Dr Sumeet Walia Australian Microscopy and Microanalysis Society
Tanya Ha Society for Environmental Toxicology
STA Chief Executive Kylie Walker welcomed the new members to the EDI Committee and highlighted the important contribution they would make to STEM in Australia.
“STA has clear strategic aims to support a thriving and diverse STEM sector, with a particular focus at the moment on women in STEM, Indigenous STEM professionals, and scientists and technologists who identify as LGBTIQ+,” Ms Walker said.
The EDI Committee – which takes over from the former EDI Working Group – will support these aims by producing practical tools to support STA member organisations to achieve best-practice approaches to diversity and inclusion, as well as providing guidance for its policy and advocacy work.
“The committee itself also features a diversity of voices and perspectives, including some STA Board members and a director of the Diversity Council of Australia,” Ms Walker said.
“Each Committee member brings an important perspective on behalf of their discipline, as well as their career stage, their cultural, linguistic and religious background, their sexuality or their indigeneity, ensuring our work to support a diverse and inclusive sector will be well-informed and based on lived experience.
“A diverse and inclusive sector is more productive, engaged and innovative, which is vital to shaping a great future for Australia through science,” Ms Walker said.
