The quiet revolution bringing more girls into STEM

Women are entering the STEM workforce in growing numbers, yet they still make up just 37 per cent of university STEM enrolments and only 15 per cent of the STEM workforce in Australia.

For those women who do make it into the sector, the gender gap doesn’t end there, women earn 16 per cent less than men in STEM industries, despite the progress that has been made.

“Unlike other countries, the gender divide in some STEM subjects is expanding in Australia,” says  Professor of Physics at Flinders University, Maria Parappilly.

“The low number of females studying STEM at university and entering the workforce is mirrored in the low number of girls studying STEM subjects in high school.

‘Girls may not see themselves in STEM careers due to the perception that they are challenging, or because of stereotypes or a lack of role models in these fields.

“But we can tackle these perceptions if we can give students more confidence through role-model interventions combined with hands-on activities designed to arouse curiosity, develop an interest in STEM, and consider science subjects in Year 10.”

Breaking down the barriers that are keeping girls out of STEM is challenging, but momentum is building through the Flinders University STEM Enrichment Academy, where thousands of South Australian Year 9 girls have gained intensive, hands‑on science experience and opened doors to futures they may never have thought possible.

The program offers five distinctive STEM enrichment topics including a series of Day Science Enrichments, 3-D STEM Enrichment Conference, a teacher upskilling micro-credential and a series of teacher PD’s, and research and evaluation.

Professor Parappilly, who leads the Enrichment Academy Program, says the goal is to inspire more girls to pursue STEM subjects in high school and at university.

“We aim to inspire Year 9 girls to explore STEM topics through our skill enrichment workshops that include mentorship by female STEM role models, intensive hands-on activities, and lab tours when they are making decisions about subjects at senior school level,” says Professor Parappilly.

“Almost 2,000 Year 9 girls from SA and NT have had hands-on STEM experience at Flinders, and more than 265 have attended our enrichment programs, teacher PD’s and MCPSE course, including from various states and 88 different schools.

“The enrichment program especially benefits girls from regional South Australia, who previously expressed less motivation to pursue STEM careers than their metropolitan counterparts.”

Flinders is proud to see this pioneering program, unlocking a future in STEM for more girls and women, which is another way the University is delivering on its pledge to change 10 million lives for the better by 2035.

Creating opportunities for girls in STEM

Year 11 Mary MacKillop College student, Judy, says she was inspired to pursue STEM subjects after attending a special Quantum Enrichment Day run by Flinders University at her school, having previously taken part in the STEM Enrichment Academy.

“I was introduced to real world applications of physics, such as their role in defence technologies, which transformed my view of science from a classroom subject to a field where I believe I could make an impact in,” says Judy.

“More importantly, as a woman, I felt empowered by the program’s emphasis on inclusivity and the encouragement to pursue these fields with confidence. This experience became one of the key motivators that inspired me to study Physics.

“I had the privilege of attending the Quantum Enrichment program. I connected the diverse workshop activities and extensive resources we were presented with to physics concepts such as the atomic spectra, which submerged me deeper into the fields of Physics and reinforced my aspirations to pursue a career in the STEM field after school.”

And the program has been proven to work.

Flinders’ peer-reviewed research shows that the enrichment program is having a real and positive impact, leading to improved interest in Physics, Chemistry, Technology and Higher Maths in the senior secondary years among Year 9 schoolgirls.

The study tracked 42 participants in the STEM enrichment program in 2019 and found that 91% of them went on to choose traditional STEM subjects in their senior secondary years with many of them enrolling in STEM degrees including Physics, Space and Astrophysics, Nuclear Physics and Engineering.

There was also a significant increase in career interest in STEM following attendance at the three STEM Enrichment Academy conferences held between 2021 and 2024.