HunterWiSE / Centres / Research and Innovation / The University of Newcastle, Australia

HunterWiSE is an initiative that will establish mentorship avenues for women in STEM throughout the Hunter region; promoting positive collaboration and sharing of experiences. This project builds on a partnership between The University of Newcastle, and a number of key regional partners.

The HunterWiSE program features two key interlinked actions aimed at increasing the number of girls and women participating in STEM. The first is a targeted school intervention, and the second is a series of networking events for female STEM professionals across the Hunter.

These two actions will work in unison to increase interest in STEM careers among young women and to develop a positive community for females currently working in STEM in the Hunter. By using this dual approach we hope to increase the number of females entering, and simultaneously encourage retention of women already in, the STEM pipeline.

HunterWiSE team group photo
HunterWiSE Founding Academics (L-R): Prof Anna Giacomini, Prof Erica Wanless, Prof Regina Beretta, A/Prof Elena Prieto, Prof Sarah Johnson, Prof Juanita Todd, A/Prof Karen Blackmore

2019 HunterWiSE Outreach Program students from Singleton High School working on their projects with the HunterWiSE Mentors.

Students from Muswellbrook and Gorokan High School after conducting a chemical analysis of a sports drink on their visit to the University of Newcastle as part of the HunterWiSE Outreach Program.

HunterWiSE members at the 2019 networking breakfast with Dr Gunilla Burrowes.

HunterWiSE members and members of the public attending the joint HunterWiSE and Faculty of Engineering event, The X-Factor: Why We Need More Women Engineers with Professor Elanor Huntington.

The crowd of students, teachers, parents and carers, HunterWiSE Mentors and industry partners at the 2019 HunterWiSE Outreach Program School Presentation Night.

2019 HunterWiSE Outreach Program winners, Tahlia Fennel and Tyla Barlow from Muswellbrook High School with Newcastle MP Sharon Claydon. Absent: Phoebe Wolfgang

HunterWiSE Outreach Program students celebrate at the 2019 School Presentation Night.

HunterWiSE team with UoN VC Alex Zelinsky at the UON Excellence Awards
The HunterWiSE Team with University of Newcastle VC, Alex Zelinsky at the University of Newcastle 2019 Excellence Awards where the team received the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Award.

Get Involved

Schools

HunterWiSE Outreach is a 10-week program that directly targets female high school students in Year 8. The program provides students with the opportunity to work alongside STEM professionals and students from the University of Newcastle to solve local community issues whilst developing STEM skills. Ten schools across the Hunter and Central Coast have participated in HunterWiSE Outreach since 2017. If you would like to nominate your school to participate in future intakes for the HunterWiSE Outreach Program, or you would like more information please contact the HunterWiSE team.

Video: The HunterWiSE Outreach Program - Setting female students up with STEM

Women in STEM

The HunterWiSE Network was established in 2017, providing networking and mentorship opportunities for women working in a wide range of STEM fields across the Hunter. Each year HunterWiSE will be hosting a series of informal networking events for the benefit of HunterWiSE Network members. Members will also be afforded the opportunity to support and engage with students taking part in the HunterWiSE Outreach Program. If you would like to join the HunterWiSE Network and/or receive more information about becoming a HunterWiSE Network member you can sign-up, or contact the HunterWiSE Team.

Organisations

The delivery of the HunterWiSE Outreach Program and Network would not be possible without the generosity of our sponsors. For more information about how your organisation could support HunterWiSE please download our brochure (PDF, 800kb).