Science & Technology Australia (STA) has elected three new leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to its Board, to represent scientists and technologists working in a range of disciplines.
Our newest Board members are:
- Professor Rebecca Ritchie, Medical and Cognitive Sciences Representative
Professor Rebecca Ritchie is an experimental pharmacologist based at the Baker Heart & Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, where she leads the Heart Failure Pharmacology laboratory and is the Chair of Science Faculty at the Baker. She is a former Chair of Policy and Medical and Cognitive Sciences Representative at STA.
STA member affiliation: The Australian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists, High Blood Pressure Research Council of Australia - Dr Katherine Daffron, Aquatic Sciences Representative
Katherine is Co-Director of the Applied Marine and Estuarine Ecology Lab at the University of New South Wales and Deputy Director of the Sydney Harbour Research Program at the Sydney Institute of Marine Science. She recently received a Young Tall Poppy Science Award for science excellence and community engagement.
STA member affiliation: Australian Marine Science Association - Ms Kylie Ahern, General Representative
Kylie is the CEO of the Strategic Communications and Content Consultancy, STEM Matters. She is an award-winning science publisher and entrepreneur. She co-founded Cosmos magazine and served as CEO for the first ten years. Kylie has worked across mainstream and science publishing for over 20 years. With a Bachelor Degree in Commerce, she has served on the Boards of Publishers Australia and Cosmos Media.
STA member affiliation: Australian Society for Limnology, Women in STEMM Australia
President of Science & Technology Australia, Professor Jim Piper, said the new members of the Board would help STA work towards a stronger and better supported STEM sector. He highlighted their extensive experience in a range of disciplines as being vital to the future of STA and those they represented.
“STA has worked for more than 30 years to promote the value of science and technology in Australia, and we are energised and excited to welcome these impressive leaders to the STA team,” Professor Piper said.
“High quality research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics has the potential to transform the lives of all Australians, as well as provide great benefit to the Australian economy and communities around the world.”
Professor Piper said that the Board would work to ensure the more than 68,000 STEM professionals who STA represented enjoyed secure employment and good working conditions to help Australia achieve world leading STEM industry and research.
“We will work to make sure we maintain support for science and technology, and provide for it a strong and stable future in this country,” he said.
Media contact: Dion Pretorius | dion.pretorius@sta.org.au | 0418 281 777
