CALLING ALL WOMEN SCIENCE ENTREPRENEURS AND PRACTITIONERS WORKING IN NORTHERN AUSTRALIA!

How can we build a collaborative network and program to support women scientists on their leadership and business journey? How can we facilitate women scientists from a range of backgrounds to test, develop and market themselves and their ideas for real world impact?

Since I have taken up a role as Research Director of the Northern Australia Research Alliance between CDU and the CSIRO, I have been aware of the keen interest around the university in a leadership and science entrepreneurship program designed for women scientists and science practitioners working in the Territory.

Supported by the Australian Women in STEM and Entrepreneurship programme (WISE), CDU has now partnered with the Darwin Innovation Hub and the CSIRO to launch a Catalysing Women Science Program. The program will provide an intimate approach to career coaching and science entrepreneurship that is tailored to women scientists and science practitioners who are keen to demonstrate and communicate the broader value of themselves and their science idea and be supported to translate this into real-world applications.

On the 18th of October, the program was launched at the Darwin Innovation Hub. Over 60 women scientists and science-practitioners reflected on what skills, resources, and networks they wanted to access to get support for their great science ideas. Their input will help design the ‘Invest in me. Invest in my science’ program that will be announced at the end of November through: the Darwin Innovation Hub, the Northern Institute and LinkedIn.

This competitive process will assist and resource women-led teams to engage in online and face-to-face leadership and science entrepreneurship coaching that will end with an opportunity to pitch yourself and/or your great science idea to a relevant network of innovators and leaders. Diversity is encouraged! This could be a great chance for end-of-PhD women to think about how they can ‘pitch’ themselves and their science to potential new employers and/or funding agencies. It might also include women scientists who are keen to explore the design and support of a mentor group and network to explore and develop ways to translate their great science idea into real world impact.

Please contact me if you are interested to find out more about this exciting initiative. Cathy Robinson: e: Cathy.Robinson@cdu.edu.au m: 0437 170 024

Professor Cathy Robinson is the Director of the Northern Australian Research Alliance, a collaborative research partnership between CSIRO and CDU.

Illustration caption: Create and Sparkle