One of Australia’s top scientists has urged more girls to pursue mathematics and help secure the nation’s STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) capability.
Professor Alan Duffy, the lead scientist of the Royal Institution of Australia, made the call today before a panel of 400 Years 9 to 12 girls from 17 schools across the state.
Professor Duffy joined a predominately female panel at the Choose Maths International Women’s Day Careers event in Melbourne to shine a light on careers in maths – a subject that many Australian students continue to struggle with.
The proportion of high performing maths students in PISA has halved to 11% over the past 14 years, and low performers outnumber high performers two-to-one.
As public alarm over these results has grown, discussions have focused on the need to strengthen student engagement and outcomes in the crucial discipline.
Delivered by the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI) and funded by the BHP Billiton Foundation, the ChooseMaths project is a $22m national initiative to empower Australian students to pursue mathematics.
Over five-years, the project will work with students, parents and teachers to turn around community attitude and participation of mathematics and statistics as a career choice, especially for girls and young women
“I want to see girls engaged in subjects such as mathematics, because I know how smart they are and how much the world needs their brilliance as part of the scientific workforce,” Duffy said.
“Girls shouldn’t let anything or anyone stop them studying mathematics. There is a universe to explain, diseases to cure and world-changing technologies to invent.”
Duffy added that girls need to know “they are smart enough, skilled enough, good enough to do this and more”.
As well as a lack of careers awareness, findings from Tabcorp’s Advancing the STEM Conversation June 2017 show perception of ability (55% of female respondents doubted their ability to work in or study in STEM) and a view that disciplines such as mathematics as boy’s clubs (20% of female respondents) remain barriers for women and girls.
This, according to AMSI Schools Program Manager and Choose Maths Project Director, Janine McIntosh, is a reminder of why the Choose Maths project and initiatives such as the careers awareness campaign are so important.
“Maths is an enabler that opens career pathways across nearly every sector,” McIntosh said.
“It is our mission to rewrite gender narratives and help girls, their teachers and parents understand these opportunities and see them as real and valuable options.”