Working partners: Department of Industry, Science and Resources and Questacon - the National Science and Technology Centre
On this page:
About
The advisory group provides advice to the working partners on:
-
fostering stronger engagement and representation for young people in STEM
-
improving young people’s perception of STEM
-
designing new experiences to better engage and attract young people to STEM
-
addressing barriers to participation
-
inspiring future generations of STEM professionals.
Members
Houjie (Henry), (he/him)
18 years old, from New South Wales
Houjie (Henry) is a first-year university student studying computer science at the University of Sydney. Through the Questacon exhibitions, he hopes to promote and provide clarity for STEM pathways (e.g., tertiary, vocational, alternate), skills and roles. Henry hopes this will improve young people’s understanding of STEM careers and will inspire more people to pursue this pathway. Henry is also an advocate for the redesign of the academic and co-curricular programs in high school to further equip students with STEM and digital literacy skills, with the goal of letting students access different career options, work exposure, and vocational study before graduating.
Ewa (she/her)
19 years old, from Queensland
Ewa Jadwiszczak is a civil engineering student working in industry. She hopes to converse with likeminded young people and open conversations about the promotion of STEM, specifically to encourage young women to explore engineering pathways. Ewa has a passion for problem solving and seeing the impacts of engineering on both large and small scales motivates her to share this rewarding career pathway with young people.
Aayushi (she/her)
22 years old, from Victoria
Aayushi Khillan is a young medical student who is passionate about health & youth advocacy. In the education sector, Aayushi sits as the first & only Youth Board Member at VCAA (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority). Aayushi’s primary goal is to ensure representation of women, multicultural youth and people from low socioeconomic youth/communities in STEM. She wants to adapt the government's approach towards STEM to ensure it is creative, modernised and can reach out to Generation Z and beyond. Aayushi wants the next generation to feel the same passion and love she has for STEM, regardless of their backgrounds.
Frank (he/him)
19 years old, from Victoria
Frank is a talented creator who loves all things STEM and currently works at St Monica’s College as a STEM officer. He is trying to make an impact on pushing new STEM ideas further in education and to make it more engaging for younger students. Frank would love to meet likeminded people with the same goals to work with and to create more widespread awareness of STEM as a career pathway.
Marianna (she/her)
17 years old, from Western Australia
Marianna is a first generation Australian of Venezuelan descent living in WA. She is an avid STEM student with a particular interest in genetics. Because of this, Marianna hopes to achieve greater access to STEM courses, workshops and career opportunities for everyone who would like to pursue something in the field and allow them to follow their true passions.
Chloe (she/they)
16 years old, from Northern Territory
Chloe has lived in both the United States of America and Australia and believes that her perspective of growing up in a small community overseas gives her a unique view on her current living arrangements in the Northern Territory. Chloe believes she is able to represent young people of diverse gender and sexuality as well as people of difference races and experiences.
Tegan (she/her)
22 years old, from Tasmania
Tegan Clark is a PhD student at the Australian National University and works in the Agri-tech sector. She founded the ANU Women* in STEM Leadership Conference and has volunteered for several other STEM equity programs. Tegan looks forward to using her experience in both research and volunteering to provide guidance around building STEM equity programs that focus on equipping underrepresented groups with skills, knowledge and support networks that will assist them in moving into and through a STEM career.
Charlotte (she/her)
17 years old, from Queensland
Charlotte Smith is a Year 12 boarder at The Cathedral School. She is beyond passionate about STEM and is determined to eventually find herself studying a Bachelor of Science after graduating high school. As a boarder, Charlotte has always been far from home to get an education. She hopes to encourage younger generations to find a love for STEM no matter who they are, or where they are. Through the Youth Advisory Group, she wants to help bring inspiration to other rural youth like herself.