Women are underrepresented in key decision-making roles across almost all industries in the Australian workforce.
Women comprise half of employees, but only 19 per cent of CEOs and 32 per cent of key management positions (Workplace Gender Equality Agency 2020-21).
The gender pay gap is sitting at 14.2 per cent, and in STEM, it’s even wider at 24.4 per cent (Workplace Gender Equality Agency 2021).
Professor Peta Wyeth, Associate Professor Ramona Vijeyarasa, Associate Professor Eva Cheng and Dr Kumi de Silva sat down to discuss how we can bridge these gaps and imagine new leadership models.
Listen to The Leadership panel discussion
Download the panel discussion transcript
If you are interested in hearing about future events, please contact events.socialjustice@uts.edu.au
Some women have been told from a very long time ago that you are not good enough. When you get to the workforce, that can come out in different ways. Women don't need to do anything to combat imposter syndrome, it's the system and the structures around us that need to change. – Associate Professor Eva Cheng
To motivate my team, it’s important for me to be conscious that everybody's level of commitment, engagement, and way of living that gender equality dream will be different. I hope I tried to be the kind of leader that finds a balance between motivating and respecting that everybody has a different level of energy and commitment to give. – Associate Professor Ramona Vijeyarasa
My leadership style is collaborative and I recognize that I'm a passionate relationship builder. The way that I work is to work to understand all of the people in the leadership team, and to give them the autonomy to lead in their own rights. – Professor Peta Wyeth
Speakers
Professor Peta Wyeth is Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and IT at UTS. She is a computer science researcher internationally recognised in the field of human-computer interaction, employing techniques from interaction and experience design, computer science, psychology, and sociology in the design of educational and entertainment technology. Previously, she was Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Science at QUT.
Associate Professor Ramona Vijeyarasa is a legal academic and women’s rights activist. She is the Chief Investigator behind the Gender Legislative Index, a tool designed to promote the enactment of legislation that works more effectively to improve women’s lives. Ramona’s academic career as a scholar of gender and the law follows ten years in international human rights activism, which has informed her impact-driven approach to research.
Associate Professor Eva Cheng is the Acting Head of the School of Professional Practice and Leadership at UTS. Previously, she was the Director of Transnational Education, and Director of Women in Engineering and IT. With a background in telecommunications engineering, Eva actively collaborates on social justice and community engagement across STEM diversity and humanitarian engineering.
Dr Kumi de Silva is the UTS Gender Equity Programs Manager, which oversees the Athena SWAN program and supports other gender equity initiatives. Previously, Kumi was a Senior Research Fellow at USYD, and an immunologist developing vaccines for livestock. Her lived experiences have driven her to advocate for diversity and belonging to create a more inclusive culture within the higher education community.
If you are a UTS staff member or student, you can stream The LEADERSHIP documentary on Kanopy.