Women in Stem Strategy Day 2026
To mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, 26 women from a range of networks and organisations gathered to share stories and ideas, assisting AWIS members to work out where best to direct our energy.
Four discussion topics were tabled for small groups to rotate through, and all comments were captured on paper. The discussions were summarised and shared with the whole group at the end. This summary captures what was shared at the end, with a few extra details incorporated.
The topics were:
1. Retention & The "Leaky Pipeline." What key elements are vital and/or need changing to ensure senior leadership roles are more accessible and sustainable for women in STEM? How might we evolve our networking efforts from informal advice sharing into actions that directly result in promotions and funding for women?
2. Cross-Network Synergy. How could our individual networks collaborate more effectively to create a single, unified "voice" when advocating for policy changes at workplace and government levels?
How could our networks enhance the impact of our own grassroots work through wider collaboration?
3. The Impact of Emerging Technology. What is needed to ensure that women in STEM are architects, engineers and leaders of the development and applications of AI and other advanced technology, rather than only being consumers and participants?
How could our networks and women in STEM leverage the advances of technology and the outcomes of this progress to have a positive impact on how we live and work?
4. Cultural Evolution. What elements are needed, or need changing, so that inclusive organisational culture is the default rather than a special initiative by individual women or groups?