Science & Technology Australia is supporting representative societies and associations, alongside employers and research institutes, with practical new resources to lead improvements to equity, diversity and inclusion within the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) sector.
Science & Technology Australia (STA) has begun rolling out templated policies, codes and other resources for member organisations to empower them to be effective in this important work.
“With the support of our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, we’re providing practical support for members to take a best-practice approach to equity, diversity and inclusion,” Ms Walker said.
“Our events policy template, for example, helps members ensure speakers, panellists and moderators authentically reflect the breadth of people working in their discipline.”
President of the Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists (ASCEPT), Professor Carl Kirkpatrick, said that the resources were already proving useful.
“‘ASCEPT is using the EDI policy template to create a policy that reflects our own society’s needs,” Professor Kirkpatrick said.
“It’s given us a solid start and is making the process clearer and quicker than if we’d started from scratch.”
Ms Walker said STA members were already playing a leading role in building sector momentum towards improved practice.
“Membership of a representative organisation is increasingly a catalyst to creating more inclusive and safer STEM workplaces,” Ms Walker said.
“STA is connected with scientists and technologists across Australia and from all disciplines, giving us a unique position from which to further empower them to build a better sector from the ground up.”
The release of these resources coincides with the launch of the new Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, which has opened for applications.
Members can access the new resources via the members-only section of the website.
To join STA or to learn more, email Mitchell.piercey@sta.org.au.
