STEMM Ambassador appointed

Friday, 25 January 2019

We are pleased to announce that Associate Professor Peter Howley has been appointed to a newly formed STEMM Ambassador role for our University.

Peter will provide oversight and support to all STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths and Medicine) outreach activities, including the Science and Engineering Challenge – arguably one of our most successful outreach programs.

Peter’s commitment to and passion for STEMM engagement and outreach is unrivalled. He has an extensive international profile having established collaborative initiatives that have united schools, academics, tertiary, government, industry and national organisations.

The annual National Schools Poster Competition, an engagement program that Peter created in 2014, won the 2017 International Statistical Institute’s Award for Best Cooperative Project (awarded biennially) and was recognised and listed in the Office of the Chief Scientist’s STEM Programme Index 2016.

Associate Professor Peter HowleyPeter’s input and participation is highly sought after locally, nationally and internationally. In 2017, Science and Technology Australia (STA) named him one of ten inaugural STEM Ambassadors to help strengthen the understanding and importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at a federal level. He is also the National Chair of Statistical Education, Statistical Society of Australia (SSA); an invited member on International Advisory Boards for outreach initiatives (International Statistical Literacy Project, Data Science in Schools Project); expert advisor to NSW Education Standard Authority’s Inspector (Mathematics and Numeracy) and Newcastle Mathematics Association; and an Executive Board member of Hunter Innovation and Science Hub (bringing together Hunter Outreach organisations).

In his capacity as STEMM Ambassador, Peter will play a key role in the DVC-A’s whole-of-University review of our efforts to attract students.  Peter will also work with our Women in STEMM Chair, Professor Billie Bonevski, to ensure our outreach and engagement activities strive to address the gender imbalance that exists in various STEMM disciplines.

We congratulate Peter on this appointment and look forward to working with him in this role.

Professor Lee Smith, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Faculty of Science

Professor Brett Ninness, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment

Laureate Professor John Aitken, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Faculty of Health and Medicine


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