The Hub leader, Prof. Veena Sahajwalla, delivered a plenary to nearly 200 students at the 2024 STEM Enrichment Conference hosted by Flinders University on 20 June 2024. The three-day event was supported by the Department of Industry and Science and a Women in STEM and Entrepreneurship (WiSE) grant. The conference inspired and engaged young female students in STEM fields. Prof. Veena also delivered a role-model talk to a further 80 girls following the conference.
Championing the Circular Economy
In her address, Prof. Veena shared a visionary approach to a sustainable future, emphasising the critical role of a circular economy. She highlighted innovative ways to transform waste into valuable resources. This included showcasing the research and innovations from the Sustainable Communities and Waste Hub and the UNSW SMaRT Centre. Her insights underscored the necessity of integrating waste resources into manufacturing processes to foster a more sustainable future.
Vision for a Sustainable Future
The STEM Enrichment Academy, building on its successful 2021 launch, aims to deliver hands-on activities and engagement opportunities for female students across South Australia and the Northern Territory. In 2023, the program enriched the lives of over 300 schoolgirls and teachers through a series of workshops, conferences and activities.
Flinders’ STEM Enrichment Academy: Inspiring the Next Generation
The Academy aims to inspire Year 9 girls in South Australia and the Northern Territory to explore STEM topics through monthly skill enrichment workshops, thanks to a scholarship program for regional students. This includes mentorship by female STEM role models, intensive hands-on STEM workshops and lab tours. The workshops allow students to perform hands-on experiments in science, computing, mathematics, chemistry and engineering topics at Flinders University facilities.
The 2024 conference program promised to reach even more young minds, providing valuable STEM experiences that inspire future scientists, engineers, innovators and sustainability leaders. Interested schools and students are encouraged to check the dates for upcoming workshops and conferences and complete the enquiry form for further information.
Summary
Hub leader, Professor Veena Sahajwalla, delivered a keynote speech at the 2024 STEM Enrichment Conference hosted by Flinders University on 20 June 2024, inspiring and engaging young female students in STEM fields. She emphasised the importance of a circular economy and showcased innovative ways to transform waste into valuable resources, highlighting research from the Sustainable Communities and Waste Hub.
