Supporting HDR students through mentoring and social networks

That’s exactly what happened to Emily Canda when she met her friend Chelsey Vu, while taking part in the UTS Women in STEM Research (WiSR) Mentoring Program. She didn't only gain career insights from her mentor; she also became part of an inclusive community of HDR students, academics and industry professionals. 

Facilitated by UTS Women in Engineering and IT (WiEIT), the program connects women and gender diverse Higher Degree Research (HDR) students with academic or industry professionals for one-on-one mentoring over 6 months. Alongside the mentoring, WiSR includes professional skill workshops and networking opportunities.

‘Being a PhD student can be quite isolating, so to be able to come together with other women and allies who can support you and understand what you’re going through is amazing,’ says Emily, UTS PhD candidate, and former WiEIT Postgraduate Student Engagement Officer.   

At WiEIT, the focus has been on understanding and addressing the unique challenges faced by women and gender diverse HDR candidates. This includes initiatives like WiSR but also Let's Talk sessions – an informal, inclusive space for HDR women and gender diverse students to share experiences, advice and unpack different career pathways. 

Despite women making up 47 per cent of Year 12 STEM enrolments, they account for just 15 per cent of the STEM workforce. These numbers are just as dire when it comes to engineering and academia, where women account for 19 per cent of the workforce in university Engineering and IT (EIT) qualified occupations, and 20 per cent of the EIT teaching and research workforce. 

'We need to address systemic and persistent sociocultural barriers to build equitable career opportunities in STEM,' says Emily.  

During their PhD years, women are often at a life stage where they may start families and have additional responsibilities. As research shows, women still take on more household duties and caring responsibilities, which significantly limits their time for publishing and writing articles. This can mean that women tend to publish less often. The demands of work – whether it's researching, teaching or conducting experiments – leave very little time for writing.

'But I believe we can improve things. There are significant career opportunities for HDR graduates in industry. Many graduates find rewarding roles in various sectors outside academia, leveraging their research skills, critical and analytical thinking, and expertise in industry applications. However, we’ve noticed that industry can hesitate to hire PhD graduates due to misconceptions about their skills and capabilities. Universities and industry need to work together to bridge this gap.'

For Dr Faezeh Karimi, Director of WiEIT, holistic culture change is what will make a real difference to genuine gender inclusion in STEM.    

‘I think there is a prime opportunity to talk and take action about culture. It's great to bring people in the door, but if they're not going to be respected and included, or opportunities don’t exist for them in the same way they exist for everybody else, then, of course, they're going to leave.

‘The issue there is actually changing the professions, the cultures educationally at university all the way through to workplaces and C-suite as well. Change is difficult. It takes time, and it means changing mindsets and behaviours.   

I think there is a need for spaces and programs that specifically work with women and gender-diverse people. But actually, gender equity and inclusion is everyone's problem. Everyone needs to be involved. It's not that we just need to have more mentoring programs and more scholarships and communities. We need that plus culture change.

The need for these types of activities is apparent, as students from outside the Faculty of Engineering and IT (FEIT) have started asking if they can join in.   

‘We've opened up the workshops to postgraduate students in FEIT, and HDR students from other faculties now because they were sneaking in,’ recounts Emily.  

‘They’d email us asking if they could come, and we would say “Of course! Come on board.” The skills developed in the workshops are valuable to so many different cohorts, and there is an obvious need to expand programs like WiSR into other faculties. I understand where they’re coming from because I was a HDR student once too.

Our annual impact evaluation shows that WiSR mentees grow their professional network because of this program. They get to build a community, which isn’t the easiest thing to do as a PhD student,’ Emily says.  

While community is crucial, the evaluation also shows a significant impact on career confidence and awareness. By the end of the program, 82% of participants reported feeling confident in marketing themselves, a notable increase from 43% at the beginning of the program. 

A 2023 WiSR participant said, ‘the program has had a positive impact on both my professional and personal life. Professionally, I've gained valuable insights and guidance that have contributed to my growth and development. Personally, the connections and support from the program have boosted my confidence and provided a sense of community.’    

UTS has received two Cygnet Awards from Science in Australia Gender Equity for efforts in supporting women and girls in STEMM. Part of the Athena Swan accreditation pathway, Cygnet Awards recognise successful initiatives aimed at reducing and eliminating barriers to gender equity. 

UTS’s Cygnet Awards were for: Supporting career progression for Higher Degree Research (HDR) students in the Faculty of Engineering and IT; and Building the pipeline through outreach to attract women to Engineering and IT in early education.

Find out more about UTS’s work in the gender equity space, as well as the WiSR Mentoring Program.