Cassandra Diamond is opening the way for Indigenous women in STEM

Torres Strait Islander woman Cassandra Diamond is opening the way for young Indigenous women to gain an education and find a career path in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

‘For me, education is the key to improving economic outcomes for our people,’ Cassandra said.

‘The better educated our young people are, the more likely they are to reach parity with their non-Indigenous peers when it comes to the labour market.’

‘Women bring a different view to a workplace – we keep hearing that diversity leads to innovation. What better ways to improve innovation than by embracing the knowledge and skills of young Indigenous women?’

As manager of the Young Indigenous Women’s STEM Academy at CSIRO, she works to ‘Indigenise the STEM space for young people’.

‘The Academy does this in a few different ways,’ Casandra said.

‘Our staff are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Representation matters and the team are role models for the students.’

‘We run regular events that allow students to connect with Indigenous women working in STEM professions. We integrate Indigenous knowledge into our STEM extension activities.’

Students enrol in the academy as early as 13 years of age and over the next 10 years receive tools and support to help them gain entry into STEM fields.

Camps play an important role in that support. Held on Country, students learn how Indigenous knowledge and technology fits into the STEM subjects they will study.  

The program has been running for 3 years and Cassandra said she is seeing progress but offers sound advice to young women.

‘I would caution people that Indigenous women have a harder road to walk at times, given the history of this country, but at the same time, I see many bright and deadly young women in the Academy doing incredible things and planning their futures in STEM,’ she said.

When Cassandra looks into the future, she anticipates a day when she is out of a job.

‘I hope that every young woman who has been part of the Academy is out in the workforce or studying – doing research and learning, running projects, businesses, departments and organisations and that because of the work we have done, programs like this are no longer needed.’