“Growing the diversity in how Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM) is perceived and who does it”, is their purpose at She Maps.
The Australia-ASEAN Council supported a She Maps Flying Futures project to engage with Indonesian and Filipino youth, particularly females, to increase their confidence in using STEM skills, with principal partners, Diamonds in the Rough and WeRobotics. They met with local government, educators and industry representatives including the Philippines Flying Labs. In Indonesia, the program worked with SEAMEO and STELR; and with QITEP, the Regional Centre for Quality Improvement of Teacher and Education Personnel in Science in Bandung to increase the capacity of local teachers and educators.
Women and STEM
ASEAN countries have identified that the integration of STEM skills into their educational approaches are an important part of their workforce development. The barriers facing women in the STEM workforce in ASEAN countries are no different to the barriers we see in Australia, with only 27% of the STEM workforce being female, despite there being over 20 years of STEM focus in Australia.
She Maps programs have been delivered to over 5,000 students, providing them with a practical, industry aligned and curriculum mapped experience using drones as the hook for engagement. We call this STEM by Stealth!
She Maps is co-founded by Paul Mead and Dr Karen Joyce. Karen is an Internationally known researcher, employed at James Cook University and has designed the program and is the Education Director. Paul is the Managing Director and is a CAUSINDY alumni.
For more information on their projects in the Philippines and Indonesia, check out the She Maps Year Book