Women in STEMM thriving with Federation University’s equality pledge
Image caption: Associate Professor Dr Surbhi Sharma (pictured far right) with fellow participants of the WATTLE program in 2023.
Early in her career, Colette Browning remembers feeling like women had to do so much more than men to get promoted. Now, she’s a Professor at Federation University, which is lifting its gender equity and inclusion game – and it can prove it.
The university has been awarded SAGE Athena Swan Bronze accreditation, a globally recognised standard given to organisations that show a commitment to gender equity and diversity, and empowering women’s leadership, particularly in STEMM fields.
As a participating institution, Federation University is committed to following Athena Swan policies and procedures around hiring, career progression and creating safe and healthy workplaces. This means identifying areas where practical steps can be taken to create an environment where everyone can flourish, regardless of gender.
Prof Browning is glad there’s more awareness of the need for gender equity in research today.
Image caption: (From left to right) Professor Shane Thomas, Dr Amanda Young and Professor Colette Browning in conversation during a research project meeting.
Now a global leader in the fields of health psychology research and practice and ageing Prof Browning has authored more than 270 publications. She has directed programs worldwide that help people manage chronic health conditions, or lower their risk of developing them in the first place, through behaviour change approaches.
Prof Browning is also an experienced mentor for PhD researchers and supports them by paving the way to publication in globally respected journals. She co-edited two special editions of the Frontiers in Public Health: Women in Science series, which featured contributions from early career and PhD researchers from across the globe. Read the editorials here:
“We were showcasing senior women and their contributions, but also providing opportunities for early career researchers to work with these senior women and improve their careers by publishing in the area of ageing and public health,” Prof Browning says.
It’s part of the bigger picture behind Federation University’s commitment to promote gender equity and gender diversity in STEMM, she says. “We are recognising the contributions of women to science and assisting female researchers through their careers.”
New fields, new opportunities
Associate Professor of Hydrogen Technologies at Federation University, Dr Surbhi Sharma, doesn’t think the gender barrier has affected her career but she knows it exists, halting STEMM careers before they begin or limiting them when they could soar.
The green energy innovator is working to reduce the impact of climate change and can see how the new materials she produces could boost Australia’s prosperity and renewable energy systems.
“As a scientist, you're excited by things that nobody's ventured into before, that pose bigger challenges,” says Assoc Prof Sharma. “That's the fun part.”
She believes, too, that emerging technology research offers fresh opportunities for women.
In a transition to renewable energy technologies, Assoc Prof Sharma expects the growing focus on multidisciplinary research – creating novel catalysts and materials for fuel cell components – to offer a new path for women in STEMM.
“This is not the traditional engineering field anymore and we need all sorts of brains to come together,” she says. “We need to look at it differently, and it can be done by women. Our opinion should matter, and our talent cannot be ignored.”
Spanning physics, nanoscience, electrochemistry and green energy research, Assoc Prof Sharma’s career has led her from her home in India, via the UK, to Federation University Gippsland in 2022.
And while the university is recognised globally for its focus on gender equality, Assoc Prof Sharma feels personal responsibility to champion equality. In 2023, she was one of only three Federation staff selected for the Women ATTaining Leadership program.
“You need to talk to all sorts of different people in conferences and public meetings, in schools, universities, every possible space; you have to put yourself out there,” she says.
“It takes energy and time you want to put into research, but it's important to help the next generation achieve gender equality.”
The magic of visibility
Rabeya Basri is the next generation and, right now, she feels anything is possible.
A Bangladesh-born computer engineer and academic, she has ambitions to build a career as a cybersecurity engineer to help keep data safe, while also working to develop IT professionals for the future.
“Data science is a hot topic. Cybersecurity is another hot topic. So, if I match both of them, that will be a really good field for me, both as an academic or working with industry,” she says.
Basri landed at Federation University’s Gippsland campus in early 2022 with a scholarship for PhD research exploring cybersecurity and the Internet of Things (IoT).
“I arrived with a baby, and my PhD is my second baby,” she laughs. Life is busy, but she and her husband have enjoyed support and encouragement since the family moved to the Gippsland region.
She is working as a tutor and has completed two Victoria Chamber of Commerce and Industry internships. In each, she’s undertaken an IT project that has honed her skills and provided essential experience in building client relationships, to boost her resume and career opportunities.
Image caption: Basri received her project completion certificate at the SummerTech Live 2023-2024 project showcase event (pictured left) and Rabeya consulting with her supervisors Associate Professor Gour Karmakar and Professor Joarder Kamruzzaman (pictured right).
At home in Bangladesh, Basri says, many women marry young. They take a break from their studies or work to start a family, and often lose the confidence to return to their careers.
“Federation University – and Australia generally – is a great place for women, because there’s a focus on gender equality. Sometimes in [Bangladesh] there’s a priority for the boys over the girls, especially in career and education,” she says.
But while she’s been impressed by the support and development opportunities she’s encountered, it’s the sheer visibility of women on campus that has been the most powerful takeaway.
“There are so many women on staff here, and I like that,” she says. “Women are active: everywhere, I see more female staff engaged here and having many opportunities, and it’s very encouraging.”
Join Federation University’s inclusive community. Visit our Graduate Research School or Careers website to learn more about the exciting opportunities that await.