Women In STEM
August 4th 2023
An exclusive invitation for high school students from years 10 - 12 to join us on August 4th for a free event, featuring presentations from leading female scientists, engineers and professionals from a diverse range of STEM careers.
Our 2022 line up:
Your Host
- Professor Caroline McMillen, Chief Scientist for South Australia
Panelists
- Professor Nicola Spurrier, Chief Public Health Officer for South Australia
- Katie Gloede, Program Manager, Adelaide Crows Foundation STEMFooty
- Stephanie Wan, Associate Director, Space Industry Practice, KPMG Australia
- Sarah Cannard, Female Space Leader of the Year, Senior Engineer & Project Manager Nova Systems
- Sarah Brown, Lead Technologist, Code Like A Girl
- Stephanie Lamont-Freidrich, SA Account Manager/Business Development Manager for SA Government, Energy and Natural Resources
Young Women in STEM
- Tiahni Adamson, Lead Community Engagement Officer CH4 Global
- Georgia Dallimore, Undergraduate Aerospace Engineer and Space Communicator
- Isabella McCulloch, Astrophysicist, Aspiring Project Manager
Professor Caroline McMillen
Chief Scientist for South Australia
Professor Caroline McMillen commenced in the role as Chief Scientist for South Australia in October 2018 after serving as Vice-Chancellor of the University of Newcastle for 7 years from 2011.
She is committed to building collaborations between research, government and industry to deliver economic, environmental and social impact. In her role as Vice-Chancellor, she has been a frequent national commentator on the critical role of STEM in driving innovation and national and regional economic and social transition. She was honoured at the end of her term to be presented with the Key to the City of Newcastle by the Lord Mayor of Newcastle.
Professor McMillen is an active champion for science, science education and for the next generation of scientists and she is a strong advocate for increased participation of women in science. She was a member of the Expert Advisory Group for Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) formed under the auspices of the Australian Academy of Science.
Professor Nicola Spurrier
Chief Public Health Officer for South Australia
Professor Nicola Spurrier is the Chief Public Health Officer for the Department for Health and Wellbeing, being appointed in 2019. The Chief Public Health Officer is responsible for statewide preventative health activities including the identification and management of communicable diseases. Professor Spurrier’s role includes advising the Minister and the Chief Executive of SA Health about proposed legislative or administrative changes in relation to population health. Professor Spurrier specialises in developing and implementing policies and programs across child health, obesity prevention and Aboriginal health. She also has extensive experience in health protection and promotion, public health partnership and health diplomacy activities.
Professor Spurrier is a dual qualified medical specialist, public health physician and paediatrician, with 32 years’ experience within SA Health including 13 years in the Department for Health and Wellbeing.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Professor Spurrier has been instrumental in South Australia’s effective virus response and continues to take a personal focus on the health and wellbeing of every South Australian.
Stephanie Wan
Associate Director, Space Industry Practice | KPMG Australia
Stephanie is currently the Associate Director leading KPMG’s Adelaide Space Industry Practice. She has over 10 years experience specialising in international relations and space policy, spending most of her time previously based in Washington, DC supporting U.S. government agencies (NASA HQ, U.S. State Department, U.S. Department of Commerce) on a variety of space issues. Her passion in the space sector stems from utilising space technology for applications back on Earth.
Stephanie holds a Masters in International Science and Technology Policy from The George Washington University (Space Policy Institute – Elliott School of International Affairs), a Bachelors degree in International Studies from American University (School of International Service), and Project Management Professional Certification (Project Management Institute). She was elected as Chair for the Space Generation Advisory Council (international nonprofit/nongovernment space network that provides a youth’s voice in space policy to the United Nations) from 2015-2017, and selected for the International Astronautical Federation 2017 Young Space Leaders Award.
Dr. Sarah Cannard
Senior Engineer for Nova Systems | 2022 Female Space Leader of the Year
Dr Sarah Cannard, B.Eng., B.Sc., PhD, Fellow EAust, CPEng, GAICD
Dr Sarah Cannard is a Senior Engineer and Project Manager with over 15 years of experience working for Nova Systems in the defence and space industry. Sarah is currently the Industry Director at the SmartSat CRC and the Project Lead for the AROSE Lunar Rover Feasibility Study as part of the Australian Space Agency’s Moon to Mars initiative.
Sarah is also a Fellow with Engineers Australia, an Amelia Earhart Fellow, and was recently named the Female Space Leader of the Year. She was also finalist in the 2022 Airspace Awards in the Women in Aviation category.
Prior to her current roles, Sarah has been involved with many complex defence, space and civil programs including the JAXA Hayabusa I Spacecraft re-entry and hypersonic sub-orbital rocket launches.
Sarah has a deep passion for space and growing a sovereign Australian industry, promoting STEM careers and creating opportunities for current and future generations.
Sarah Brown
Lead Technologist | Code Like a Girl
Sarah Brown is the Lead Technologist for Code Like a Girl, an organisation dedicated to decreasing the gender gap in tech teams and to helping women and girls to flourish in the world of coding. As Lead Technologist she develops software products for the CLG community, including an online learning platform that delivers coding education in languages like Python, JavaScript and C#.
Sarah took a non-traditional path into the tech industry, having studied music and media before starting a business building websites. Without a computer science degree, she expanded her coding skills through online courses, project work and peer mentorship. Now she is passionate about making space for others with diverse backgrounds and empowering them to learn technical skills as a means to amplify their social impact.
Sarah has done extensive volunteer work with Scouts SA, Girl Guides SA, TEDxAdelaide and SouthStart. When she’s not behind a screen, she’s exploring nature in the Adelaide hills with her partner and young baby.
Dr. Stephanie Lamont-Friedrich
Account Manager | Business Development Manager | KPMG Australia
Steph is currently the Account Manager and Business Development Manager for SA Government and Energy and Natural Resources for KPMG Australia. Before this she worked as a Senior Advisor within KPMG’s Accelerating Business Growth team. Prior to this she worked at Deloitte Australia within their R&D team where she was responsible for preparing eligible R&D Tax Incentive applications, as well as establishing the SA Grants practice as the sector lead for Life Sciences. Steph has also worked within research for 6 years, completing a PhD in Biomaterials, Engineering and Nanomedicine, a Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Nano-and Biomaterials) from the University of South Australia (UniSA), and a Double Bachelors Degree in Medical Science and Business and Technology.
During her time at UniSA, she was heavily involved in a number of committees and activities including the Golden Key Society, UniSA’s TEDx event, UniSA Mentoring, the Australian Society for Microbiology National Conference and UniSA’s first International Women’s Day event in 2018. Steph was a part of the founding Executive Committee for the first Women in STEM club at UniSA, being chosen as the face for UniSA’s Women in STEM club and UniSA’s Science and Mathematics degrees, being officially recognised by Women in STEMM Australia on International Women’s Day in 2020.
Steph is at Science Alive! for the 8th year representing the Australian Society for Microbiology (ASM) at their booth – Microbiology Matters. The ASM is a not-for-profit professional society with close to 2000 members. The ASM brings together all microbiologists to advance the science and footprint of microbiology, highlighting its importance, particularly in a COVID-19 world. Steph is deeply passionate about driving and supporting gender equality in STEM, through creating opportunities and sharing experiences of the exciting diversity of STEM study and career pathways.
Katie Gloede
Program Manager, Adelaide Crows Foundation | STEMFooty
Katie has over 17 year’s teaching experience nationally and internationally and has developed interactive and exciting curricula from Reception to Year 12.
Her current role as the Adelaide Football Club STEMfooty program's Manager involves Katie developing the bespoke STEMfooty program and linking it directly to the ACARA curriculum. As well as this role, Katie has worked part-time Lecturing students in Education at the University of South Australia.
Katie is currently studying a Doctor of Education at the University of South Australia. Her research revolves around the principle of using sport and technology as a vehicle to develop students (Specifically women and Indigenous students) learning, confidence, literacy, and STEM skills in both primary and secondary settings.
Isabella McCulloch
Astrophysicist | Space Communicator
Hi everyone!! 👋 My name is Isabella ✨ I’m an astrophysicist currently studying my Honours in Science Innovation. I am also a Space Communicator at the Australian Space Discovery Centre, and the Space Community Coordinator for Stone & Chalk. I spend most of my free time volunteering for space themed initiatives such as; President of Adelaide University’s Space Society, graphic designer for the Adelaide Student Association of Physics, a committee member for the Adelaide University Entrepreneur Club and currently, part of the Sponsorship team for the Space Generation Advisory Council… As you might be able to tell, I love space 😅🌟 My career goal is to help start-ups in our space sector through outreach but also encourage everyone to pursue space!
Tiahni Adamson
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander activist, land and sea country custodian | Lead Community Engagement Officer at CH4Global | Wildlife Conservation Biologist.
Tiahni is a proud Torres Strait Islander woman descended from the Kaurareg Nations of Thursday Island. She is employed by CH4 Global, a climate change solutions company working with Asparagopsis spp to create zero methane agriculture; and is responsible for ensuring Indigenous knowledges are embedded into all projects and provide opportunities for communities on country. Tiahni has a BSc (Wildlife Conservation Biology) from The University of Adelaide and has recently been awarded the Dr Kaye Price AM Award for excellence in STEM, CSIRO Indigenous Time at Sea Scholarship, SA Environment Young Achiever Award and has been a 3x 7News Young Achiever Finalist. In her spare time, Tiahni lectures for UniSA, and is the state coordinator for Seed - a First Nations run climate youth activism group. She was trained by Al Gore as a Climate Reality Leader in 2019, and regularly speaks to audiences about our climate crisis and First Nations justice, most recently at The Adelaide Festival and WOMADelaide.
Georgia Dallimore
Undergraduate Aerospace Engineer | Space Communicator
After finding a love for maths and science in high school, Georgia had her heart set on studying STEM. She’d always had a passion for space as well, and following the announcement of the Australian Space Agency’s new Adelaide headquarters, it was all systems go for pursuing a career in the space sector.
Georgia is currently in third year studying a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical & Aerospace) (Honours) with a Bachelor of Mathematical and Computer Sciences at the University of Adelaide. She has been involved with the Adelaide Rover Team since 2020, and looks forward to building a competitive lunar rover for the Australian Rover Challenge in 2023.
Outside of her studies, Georgia is a Space Communicator at the Australian Space Discovery Centre, and a Space Hardware Intern at Fleet Space Technologies. In these roles she gets to apply her engineering knowledge to real-life projects, and inspire the public about pursuing careers in this incredible industry.
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