Australia’s Chief Scientist Professor Ian Chubb recently attended a workshop in Melbourne for female high-school students with an interest in scince, and spoke about the need to decrease gender inequality in STEM subjects, the importance of defining the role of science in Australia, and affording STEM teachers more respect in order to inspire the next generation of scientists and mathematicians.
With Year 12 participation in science subjects and advanced mathematics subjects at a twenty year low, Professor Chubb expressed his concern about the field. “So really what we’re not doing in our school systems I think is producing people with the interest, the skills and the inspiration really to pursue either science or scientific knowledge,” he said.
He emphasised the need to inspire and encourage students to continue their studies and support students to get involved with STEM subjects – especially since Australia’s future is depending on it.
“In Australia we’ve got to learn how to respect and regard our teachers much better,” he said.
“The teachers of this country have our future in the palms of their hands for at least 12 years … and we need very able people, with a lot of community support to do what is a difficult job.”
Maths in all things
Zhong with her mathematically inspired necklace. Sourced from ABC News
Lauriston Girls’ School is tackling the issue of women in STEM at a grass-roots level, and engaging their students in through their new digital fabrication factory, which has been operation for the past 18 months.
Principal Susan Just is optimistic about the engagement of their students with more in-depth and applied mathematical understanding.
“They are looking at science and technology across every subject that they do, and they can actually see the relevance of the science that they’re learning, the relevance of the mathematics, the relevance of the technology when they go into the English class, they go into the history class,” she told ABC News.
“We think those sort of transferable skills will inspire the girls to continue to study not only science and maths but a very broad range of tertiary courses when they go into university.”
ABC spoke with one student, Jojo Zhong, who said her involvement in the program helped with one of her fashion projects. Zhong was able to use her knowledge of geometry to make a colourful and artistically shaped necklace.
“I am a person who more preferred the subject art in our school,” she said.
“But this activity makes me realise that science is also important.”
Professor Chubb also agreed with the need to break down the gender barriers in STEM. “I think the traditional culture has got to be challenged. And I’m all for challenging it,” he said.
This story originally appeared on ABC News, by Stephanie Anderson.
Lead image by ABC News.
