Submission to Women in STEM Decadal Plan

Attachment – Submission to Women in STEM Decadal Plan

Overview –

CAPA’s submission focuses on women in STEM in the higher education context, particularly at the postgraduate level and above. We focus on three key issues that deter women from academic careers in STEM:

• Structural issues that make STEM unappealing to women with family and/or childcare responsibilities;
• Sexual harassment and sexual assault; and
• Lack of opportunity and gendered biases in study/employment.

CAPA recommends that—in order to counteract the ‘leaky pipeline’ effect whereby high numbers of postgraduate and ECR women leave STEM disciplines—the following be prioritised by the Women in STEM Decadal Plan:

1. Support for women postgraduates unable to engage in full-time study;
2. Parental leave for postgraduates;
3. Childcare for university employees and postgraduates;
4. Targeted research funding for women;
5. A strategy pertaining to sexual harassment and assault;
6. Combat the culture of overwork in Australian universities;
7. Combat the gendered insecurity of academic employment; and
8. Provide better and fairer access to funds, leadership opportunities, and senior positions for women.