HunterWiSE inspires the next generation in STEM

On Tuesday 21 October, more than 650 students, teachers, parents, community, industry and University colleagues gathered at the University of Newcastle's Great Hall to celebrate the next generation of women in STEM.

The 2025 HunterWiSE Presentation Night marked the culmination of HunterWiSE' 10-week outreach program, which engages Year 8 girls from across the Hunter region in a hands-on exploration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Guided by University of Newcastle student mentors, participants worked in teams to identify issues in their communities and design STEM-based solutions that could make a real difference.

Celebrating creativity and community in STEM

This year’s program reached 170 students from 12 high schools, forming 45 teams that presented their ideas to industry judges during a fast-paced showcase. Projects were displayed through research posters, prototypes and elevator pitches, with awards presented across three categories: Outstanding Poster, People’s Choice, and Outstanding Project.

Nine student teams received prizes for their innovative solutions in the 2025 program. This year's winning solutions included:

• Biogas Digester for Dungog - a community biogas system tackling green waste and transport challenges (Dungog High School - Outstanding Poster)

• Women’s Safety Ring - a wearable ring that sends an SOS alert via Bluetooth when activated (Hunter School of the Performing Arts - People’s Choice Award)

• Chuck A Vote: A Waste Management Incentive – a smart bin that lets students “vote” by correctly disposing of rubbish, linked to a teacher-facing website to track results (Toronto High School - Outstanding Project)

STEM learning through connection and belonging

HunterWiSE Outreach is a targeted initiative designed to shift perceptions of STEM among young women by demonstrating its relevance and impact, and connecting students with female role models. The program takes a project-based learning approach that connects students with mentors, teachers, and industry professionals – helping them see themselves as future scientists, engineers, and innovators.

I truly love this program and the opportunity it gives to our girls," said a Toronto High School teacher. “This year, we had quite a creative group of students, and it was wonderful to see them realise that their creativity is highly valued and relevant in STEM."

HunterWiSE was founded in 2017 by seven female academics from the University of Newcastle, representing engineering, chemistry, IT, computer science, psychological sciences, and STEM education. Since then, the initiative has empowered more than 900 young women to see themselves – and feel they belong – in STEM. Over that time, more than 100 University of Newcastle student mentors have been employed, drawn from every University of Newcastle engineering discipline and in science fields including chemistry, biomedical, psychological, and biological sciences. Their impact is lasting, with former participants now enrolling at the University and returning as mentors themselves.