Key points
- Women in Technology (WiT) Awards recognise groundbreaking Queensland women in STEM.
- Our Young Indigenous Women’s STEM Academy, ON Innovation Program, and Data61 leaders are finalists this year.
- We’re actively working to increase female representation in STEM, which is currently only 21 percent in Australia.
The Women in Technology (WiT) Awards recognise the outstanding talent, achievements, and impact of change-making Queensland women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
This year, we have finalists across multiple categories including Public Sector Excellence, First Nations Change Maker, Excellence in Industry Leadership, and Emerging Tech Star.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics showed women accounted for just 21 per cent of STEM professionals in 2019. This represents a small increase from 18 per cent a decade ago. Progress is being made, but there is more work to be done.
Let's meet our finalists.
Empowering young Indigenous women to succeed in STEM
Our award-winning Young Indigenous Women’s STEM Academy is a finalist in two categories: Public Sector Excellence and First Nations Change Maker.
The Academy is the first program of its kind in the world. It is an investment in a generation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander female leaders, role models and game changers in STEM fields. More than 660 young women have participated in the program to date.
The Academy is part of the movement to increase the representation of Indigenous women in STEM careers. It is particularly helpful for young women living in regional and remote areas, as they may not be able to access quality STEM opportunities in their home communities.
Kim Dyball is a proud Kalkadoon woman and STEM Academy program manager.
"We're so proud to be able to offer a diverse range of digital and technology opportunities to the young Indigenous women of Australia," Kim says.
"With the challenges of tech and its real need for diversity for equitable access and best practice, their voices and emerging skills are paramount."
We set young women up for a successful STEM career. We provide tailored support from high school through various tertiary pathways, including university and into graduate employment.
The Academy is not only transforming the lives of these young women – its impact extends into the broader community. As they graduate and enter the workforce, they bring with them unique perspectives and approaches to problem-solving. They are shaping future industries.
By fostering knowledge, skills, and a strong sense of cultural identity, the Academy is laying the foundation for a more equitable and prosperous future in all industries.
As these young women continue to challenge stereotypes and break barriers, they are not only powering future industries, they are also inspiring generations to come.
Their experiences are testament to the transformative power of education and the importance of diverse voices in shaping the future.
Transforming Australia's research-driven innovation
As a finalist in the Excellence in Industry Leadership Award, the ON Innovation Program exemplifies the power of research-driven innovation.
ON was designed to help Australian researchers translate their discoveries into market-ready ventures. Since 2015, it has been leading the way in helping these deep tech discoveries create real-world impact.
The ON Innovation Program was established to bridge the gap between the lab and the market, ensuring that Australia's scientific breakthroughs don't remain untapped.
Through two core programs – ON Prime and ON Accelerate – the initiative has provided a launchpad for some of the most promising innovations across key sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, and biotechnology.
ON Prime helps research teams explore and validate their innovations in the marketplace.
ON Accelerate focuses on launching research-driven ventures by connecting scientists with a network of experts, advisors, and investors.
Since its inception, the program has fostered the creation of more than 75 new companies. It has raised more than $361 million in investment capital, created more than 700 jobs, and secured over $320 million in commercialisation grants.
A key strength of the ON Innovation Program and a marker of its excellence in industry leadership, is its ability to expose researchers to a diverse range of perspectives.
Tennille Eyre is the Executive Manager of the ON Innovation Program.
"Researchers often discover new applications for their work after engaging with experts from various fields," Tennille says.
"This collaborative mindset is one of ON's greatest strengths, driving innovation forward by connecting scientists with mentors and investors who can help shape their discoveries for the market."
For many participants, the ON Innovation Program is more than just a professional stepping stone – it's a transformative experience that empowers them to become industry leaders. With a focus on nurturing diverse talent, ON provides a platform where researchers can gain commercial confidence and make impactful contributions to Australia’s deep tech ecosystem.
Emerging tech stars shaping tomorrow
Dr Amena Khatun and Lauren Hanson are both finalists in the Emerging Tech Star Award category.
Amena leads the quantum machine learning research at CSIRO's Data61, where she develops cutting-edge quantum AI techniques to address complex societal challenges.
Her work focuses on improving healthcare by advancing medical data analysis, image generation, and disease prediction, providing healthcare professionals with innovative tools for more informed decision-making.
Amena has collaborated with leading institutions, including MITRE and Cleveland Clinic in the US. This research has had significant impact, enabling quantum AI-generated images to aid in disease diagnosis and patient outcome prediction.
Beyond healthcare, Amena's contributions extend to public safety through AI algorithms for face recognition and person identification. This is helping to track individuals involved in criminal activities and locate missing persons.
Her algorithms have been deployed in Brisbane Airport's surveillance systems, showcasing their real-world impact.
In addition to her pioneering work at Data61, she mentors future researchers. Amena is motivated to create significant social, economic, and environmental advancements through her work in the integration of AI and quantum technologies.
Lauren is a Senior Mechanical Engineer in the Robotics and Autonomous Systems Group at Data61.
She led the hardware design and development of the Multi-Resolution Scanner (MRS), a groundbreaking sensing payload developed by us in collaboration with Boeing and NASA.
Launched to the International Space Station (ISS) in March 2024, the MRS integrates our Wildcat SLAM and stereo depth fusion technologies. This significantly enhances data accuracy for precise mapping inside the space station.
Lauren has overseen the hardware’s development for the past two years. She ensured it was durable enough to withstand launch conditions, met international safety standards, and posed no risk to astronauts. These sensing technologies also have critical applications on Earth in robotics, mining, and manufacturing, offering benefits in both space and terrestrial environments.
Working alongside our experts, Boeing and NASA, Lauren successfully delivered the hardware for our first payload to the ISS. This marked a significant milestone in advancing the space industry.