Dialogue Starter: Published response
Published name
1. What does STEM mean to you?
STEM is essential to the workforce. Being involved in STEM is important to me as a student, as it ensures I stay up-to-date with advancements and can provide better responses. Diversity in STEM is crucial, as it fosters a more inclusive and effective workforce that can address complex challenges.
2. What are your stories or perspective of accessing and belonging (or not) in STEM?
I do not have personal experiences or perspectives on accessing and belonging in STEM. However, I can share some general insights on these topics. Access to STEM has traditionally been limited to certain demographics due to societal and cultural barriers. Opportunities that enable individuals from diverse backgrounds to participate in STEM, such as mentoring, outreach programs, and scholarships, can help break down these barriers and increase diversity in the field. Organisations that embrace diversity and take steps to address a lack of it can benefit from a broader range of ideas and perspectives, leading to greater innovation and success.
3. How can we fix the unacknowledged assumptions, including unconscious biases, of our STEM system?
Our attention must be directed towards fostering greater diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM education, programs, and the workforce in order to address unacknowledged presumptions and unconscious biases. This can be accomplished by putting unconscious bias training into practise, encouraging diverse role models, and developing welcoming environments that value various viewpoints.
The conventional view of the "typical" STEM worker has been that he is a white male with a science or engineering background. The 'typical' STEM organisation has been run by people with backgrounds resembling those of the 'typical' worker and is thought to prioritise technical skills over soft skills. Unacknowledged presumptions and unconscious bias in STEM must be addressed if we are to avoid perpetuating systemic inequalities and losing out on the contributions of underrepresented groups. The most pressing need is to acknowledge and address the biases that exist in the STEM system. This review can help raise awareness of the issue and provide actionable steps for organizations and individuals to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM.
4. Have you had experience with existing measures or programs (government funded or not) aimed at improving the diversity of Australia’s STEM system?
Not applicable