To celebrate the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we asked researchers at the Sustainable Minerals Institute about the importance of the day and how women's increasing participation has strengthened the STEM ecosystem.
“We do need this international day to be reminded that women and girls are still getting left behind in STEM… I feel female leaders, in particular, value 1:1 communication and through this can help to enhance the culture of the workplace,“ said Acting BRC director Associate Professor Anita Parbhakar-Fox.
“Giving women a picture of what a senior leader looks like in STEM gives them something to work towards, especially when they can see that you can still have a family, maintain your health and sanity while holding these positions,” said Group Leader, Flotation Chemistry at JKMRC, Associate Professor Liza Forbes.
“International Day of Women and Girls in Science reminds us of the importance of encouraging and changing the paradigm that previous generations grew up with, providing greater confidence and reaffirming that women are equally capable in these disciplines,” said Sustainable Minerals Institute – International Centre of Excellence (SMI-ICE-Chile) researcher Nathalie Jamett.
“I believe women bring interdisciplinary thinking and holistic problem-solving, enhancing the STEM ecosystem with creative and well-rounded approaches,” said JKMRC Research Fellow, Lulit Habte.
In 2025, SMI has achieved gender parity among academic staff and a female majority in its professional workforce and you can
read more about initiatives to address the challenges related to gender equality in the mining industry in Latin America here:
