The Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre hosted and celebrated an amazing International Women’s Day in March 2023.
The event was aimed at showcasing the careers in science, research, and technology to over 100 students and educators. The Pawsey team, along with volunteers and interns, presented various career STEM to women, girls and gender diverse attendees, highlighting the importance of inclusivity and diversity in the field.
The event was initially planned as a small 20-person STEM career fair at Pawsey, but due to the overwhelming interest and support, we moved buildings to accommodate an increased capacity.
The event brought together eight schools in-person, with additional schools joining online talks, thanks to Pawsey’s dynamic engagement and digital capability. The event featured lightning talks from women in STEM trailblazers, including talks on #quantum, #astronomy, #health, and #biosecurity. There were also four activities planned for the students, including lab tours, workshops on cryptography and cybersecurity, and a STEM challenge using #LEGO to create team efficiencies.
Pawsey, along with its partners CSIRO, NYSF, ICRAR, SKAO, UWA, and Curtin University, hosted the event, which was led by Ann Backhaus and Fathima Haseen from Pawsey.
The event was a massive success, and the team was proud to have played a small part in creating a special day for young girls interested in pursuing careers in STEM.
The event showcased various STEM careers, ranging from #maths, #space, #engineering, #computing, #radioastronomy, #chemistry, #quantum, and more.
Attendees had the opportunity to meet and interact with researchers and specialists from leading Perth organisations, ask questions, and learn about their science stories and journeys.
Participants also had the chance to tour the CSIRO and Pawsey labs and meet Setonix, the 15th most powerful supercomputer in the world, and Triangulum, a Quantum Computer.
Pawsey’s International Women’s Day 2023 event was a testament to the importance of inclusivity and diversity in STEM, and the team hopes to continue hosting similar events throughout the year to inspire and empower students interested in pursuing STEM careers
