Member Login - Account - Logout

Science and Technology Australia
  • Home
  • About STA
    • About Us
    • Executive and governance
    • Reconciliation Action Plan
    • Policy Vision
    • Policy Wins
    • Work for us
  • News and Publications
    • Latest news
    • Submissions, reports and publications
    • 2025 STA Federal Election Priorities
  • Our Programs
    • Science Meets Parliament
    • Superstars of STEM
    • Super STEM workshops
    • STEM Ambassadors
    • Parliamentary Friends of Science
    • Science Policy Fellows Alumni
  • Membership
    • Our Members
    • Why be a member?
    • Member Benefits Program
    • Member How-to Guides
    • Join STA
    • Login to member portal
    • Register for member portal
  • Contact
  • Home
  • About STA
    • About Us
    • Executive and governance
    • Reconciliation Action Plan
    • Policy Vision
    • Policy Wins
    • Work for us
  • News and Publications
    • Latest news
    • Submissions, reports and publications
    • 2025 STA Federal Election Priorities
  • Our Programs
    • Science Meets Parliament
    • Superstars of STEM
    • Super STEM workshops
    • STEM Ambassadors
    • Parliamentary Friends of Science
    • Science Policy Fellows Alumni
  • Membership
    • Our Members
    • Why be a member?
    • Member Benefits Program
    • Member How-to Guides
    • Join STA
    • Login to member portal
    • Register for member portal
  • Contact
13 October 2022

NHMRC gender equity target shows global leadership

The National Health and Medical Research Council’s adoption of a new target for 50% of its top-tier Leadership grants in the flagship Investigator scheme to go to women and non-binary people from 2023 is powerful global leadership to shift the dial on gender equity.

The National Health and Medical Research Council’s adoption of a new target for 50% of its top-tier Leadership grants in the flagship Investigator scheme to go to women and non-binary people from 2023 is powerful global leadership to shift the dial on gender equity.

The NHMRC announcement is a major milestone in pursuit of gender equity in medical science.

It includes a change-making commitment that the funding agency will give the same dollar amount of research support funds to all the researchers awarded its Leadership grants.

It commits the grant funding agency to a target of equal number of grants for men and women in the Leadership category of its Investigator grants program – its largest funding round.

This demonstrates the grant funding agency’s commitment to improving gender equity in the Investigator grants scheme.

Science & Technology Australia President Mark Hutchinson said it was an announcement that would be noticed around the world, helping to spur global efforts on gender equity.

“This is the NHMRC showing global leadership in proactively tackling a persistent problem. It’s a trailblazing target, and will be noticed by grants funding agencies around the world,” he said.

“Committing to equal the grant numbers so that half go to women and non-binary people, and the other half go to men, will powerfully propel gender equity in STEM.”

“We need more women working in senior positions right across medical research to drive long-term structural and cultural change towards equity.

“It also sets a benchmark for other funding agencies and research organisations around the world to follow suit.”

“The Investigator grants program awards around $370 million in grants each year, and does so through a five‑year fellowship. That funding length, and this new commitment, create a strong platform for both increasing the percentage of women and non-binary people undertaking crucial medical research, and giving them certainty of funding over a stronger timeframe.”

“It’s an exciting development, and one warmly welcomed by the science and technology community.”

Media contact: Martyn Pearce, STA: 0432 606 828

Share
diversity grants leadership nhmrc non-binary stem women in STEM
Previous StoryStep up as a STEM Ambassador
Next StoryIn strapped times, science the smartest investment: October Budget 2022

Related Articles

  • Reef photo taken from above.
    Nominations open for the STA Policy Committee and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee
  • Superstars_2022_montageWEB_230314
    Meet Australia's newest Superstars of STEM

ABOUT US

Science & Technology Australia (STA) is Australia’s peak body in science and technology. We represent more than 235,000 scientists, engineers and technologists. STA is an influential voice for evidence and expertise in public policy.

Recent news

  • Congratulations to STA President Sharath Sriram – new Chief Scientist of Western Australia
  • Nominations open: Join an STA Committee or the new Friends of the Chair initiative.
  • Congratulations Labor – now let’s build an Australia powered by Australian ideas

Our members

  • All Members
  • Agricultural and Food Sciences
  • Aquatic Sciences
  • Biological Sciences
  • Chemical Sciences
  • General Science and Technology
  • Geographical and Geological Sciences
  • Mathematical Sciences
  • Medical and Cognitive Sciences
  • Physical Sciences
  • Plant and Ecological Sciences
  • Technological Sciences

Search for news

Most popular

  • Budget 2025: R&D the answer to Australia’s seismic challenges
  • Congratulations Labor – now let’s build an Australia powered by Australian ideas
  • R&D investment a sure bet on the future
  • Congratulations to STA President Sharath Sriram – new Chief Scientist of Western Australia
  • Nominations open: Join an STA Committee or the new Friends of the Chair initiative.

Sign up to our newsletter

Science and Technology Australia Limited (STA) (ACN 664 679 056 and ABN 71 626 822 845) is a company limited by guarantee. STA was formerly known as Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies Inc and was authorised under section 82 of the Associations Incorporation Act 1991 (ACT) to transfer its registration under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) to its new company structure on 3 January 2023.

STA PRIVACY POLICY

OTHER STA POLICIES

ACNC Registered Charity Logo

Copyright © 2024 Science & Technology Australia. All Rights Reserved