Launch and Inaugural Meeting of the New England and North West Branch: November 2024

“Women in STEM”

 

Meeting format:  The evening includes the launch of the Society’s New England and North West Branch, followed by two short talks, respectively presented by Dr Amy Moss and Dr Marissa Betts on the theme of ‘Women in STEM’, and a panel session.

Date: Monday, 25 November 2024, 5.30—7.00 pm (AEDT)
Venue: NOVA, 122 Faulkner Street, Armidale NSW 2350 and live streaming by Zoom
Registration: Registration (link to follow) is required for both face-to-face and online attendance
Entry: No charge
All are welcome

“Insights from my journey thus far as a woman in STEM”

Dr Amy Moss
ARC DECRA Fellow
School of Environment and Rural Science, UNE

Summary: ‘If you didn’t even clear the ATAR cut-off, why are you here?’ were the words I was greeted with by a handful of my classmates on my first day of university, while my peers lamented missing out on entry to the veterinary science program by a fraction of a mark. Coming from a school classified as disadvantaged, I gained entry via the back door. I often wondered over my four-year degree why I was there, and if I really belonged there. Biological sciences, including animal science, are ahead of other STEM fields in terms of female university enrolments and occupation in the workforce; my university cohort had a strong female representation compared to other STEM disciplines. Animal science likely holds a less masculine stereotype, making it the ‘low-hanging’ fruit. Along with the progress gained in this space—which we should identify and celebrate—there are still many challenges to overcome. These include fewer females in leadership positions in academia, few opportunities for ECRs to become MCRs, and the lack of progress in improving the number of university enrolments of people from low socioeconomic status, rural and indigenous backgrounds, or those with a disability. Since graduating from university and attaining a PhD, I have mentored many young people in academia and the broader community. In this talk I will explore the challenges and opportunities we have to improve the inclusion of STEM degrees, drawing on my own personal experiences and journey as a woman in STEM.

Dr Amy Moss is a postdoctoral research fellow in poultry nutrition at the University of New England, exploring nutritional strategies to improve the efficiency and sustainability of chicken meat and egg production. One such focus is her project on the implementation of food waste diets for poultry, funded by the ARC DECRA program. Her research reduces the environmental impact of poultry production while also keeping a focus on economic sustainability, to help ease the pressure of rising costs on the affordability of chicken meat and eggs. Dr Moss was recently named a Young Tall Poppy of NSW for her food waste research and her commitment to mentoring young upcoming scientists through various programs.

“Diversity, access, and inclusion in Earth science”

Dr Marissa Betts
Senior Lecturer and ARC DECRA Fellow
School of Environment and Rural Science, UNE

Summary: Earth science, in many ways, is a traditional discipline. The modern public perception tends to conform to the historical reality of the work; generally being conducted in a colonial context by men, often in the field on intrepid, remote expeditions. Of course, many important discoveries have been made this way, particularly in palaeontology, a discipline built on the “physical discovery” of fossils. Understanding the evolution of the Earth in deep time is therefore inextricably connected to these kinds of traditional approaches. Historical baggage, in combination with social and cultural biases, are responsible for the assumptions made about who can be an Earth scientist, what kinds of scientific contributions are most valuable, and how it is taught. This has ensured that diversity has remained low, and any changes are incremental and hard-fought. Women, people of colour and those with disability are still vastly underrepresented in all Earth science disciplines. This talk will touch on the past, present and future of Earth science, highlighting the ‘diversity-innovation paradox’—that diversity, access and inclusion benefit everyone, and result in improved and more impactful scientific outcomes.

Dr Marissa Betts is a Senior Lecturer in Earth Science, specialising in geology and invertebrate palaeontology, with a focus on some of the earliest complex skeletons in the fossil record. Her research primarily investigates the early Cambrian period (approximately 538–509 million years ago) in regions such as South Australia, Antarctica, China, Mongolia, and Canada. Recently, her work has extended to the middle Cambrian of Queensland and the Cretaceous periods in northwest New South Wales and western Queensland. Marissa works both in the ‘nuts and bolts’ of palaeontology—identifying, describing, and interpreting fossils—and their broader applications to geological questions. Her research aids in dating and correlating rock formations globally, interpreting past environments, reconstructing ancient continental plates, and refining the geological timescale. She is passionate about how studying rocks at microscopic levels can reveal expansive narratives about Earth’s ancient past. Marissa has been recognised as a Superstar of STEM, NSW Young Tall Poppy, A.H. Voisey Medalist, and Walter Howchin Medalist, and is an ARC-funded researcher (DECRA22). She is also committed to advocating for women and girls who aspire to a career in STEM, particularly in the Earth sciences.