ERA raises interest in science careers

Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) Ranger Women’s Network visited students at Jabiru Area School to raise interest in careers in science as part of International Day of Girls and Women in Science recently.

Members of the Energy Resources of Australia Ranger Mine Women’s Network visited the West Arnhem Girls Academy at Jabiru Area School to raise awareness and interest in science careers on February 15.
The event was held to celebrate International Day of Girls and Women in Science.
More than 20 students across primary through the senior years attended as well as 12 members of the ERA Ranger Women’s Network with many sharing their own science career experiences with the group.
Guest speaker Shelley Iles, ERA Principal Advisor Environmental sciences said the event was an opportunity to talk with the students about the history of women in science and offer insight into the variety of career pathways for women in the field.
“The variety of jobs and breadth of talent we have among our women scientists and engineers is great and made a great story. If we only influenced one girl to enter the field that’s a win, I think we did at least that,” Shelley said.
As part of the event students took part in hands on science demonstrations with Tse Wei Chang, ERA Production Metallurgist who said there are a lot of opportunities for women in science and engineering.
“Science and engineering fields can offer you an interesting career which is not limited to a desk job,” Tse Wei said.
ERA Ranger Women’s Network Committee member Chloe Bradley believes women continue to be under represented in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics but events like this will help to change that.
“Increasing female representation in these fields is the goal and the change starts here locally, with the young girls of our community,” said Chloe.
In 2016, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/70/212 declaring 11 February as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science in order to promote and achieve full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls, and further achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls.