Yidinji National STEM Round Table Cairns

Join us as we celebrate STEM across Northern Australia with a panel discussion with experts, university academics, scientists, and STEM educators.

Northern Australia constitutes over 53% of Australia’s landmass, and 5.3% of the National population. We have an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population of 16% compared to 3.8% nationally. 78% of this land is covered by Indigenous rights and interests and it is home to seven world heritage sites. At our most northern points, we are geographically closer to the Pacific than to our biggest capital cities.

We will ask our panellists to share their stories, highlighting their successes while also discussing the challenges they have faced in the field, in the context of our unique setting. We will celebrate the progress that has been made in increasing diversity in STEM and explore what work still needs to be done.

Our goal is to put STEM in Northern Australia on the table to bring change to our communities and young people.

Speakers & Panellists;

Dr Samarra Toby - Native Academy Space and Science, Longevity, STEM Innovation

Donisha Duff OAM - CEO Queensland Indigenous Business Network 

Shadow Minister for Science & Innovation - Shadow Minister for Environment and Agriculture

Head of Science Charlotte Stewart - Martin Saunders Trinity Bay High School

Professor Jamie Seymour - Aust Institute of Tropical Health & Medicine JCU

Renae Sayers – Deputy Director | Space Science and Technology Centre - Curtin University

Dr Mitch Gibbs - Marine Biologist | School of Geosciences University of Sydney

Professor Doug Drury & Dr Steve Leib - Aviation Department CQUni

Dr Steve Hill - Chief Scientist | Geoscience Australia

Dr Rodger Beeden - Chief Scientist Strategic Policy & Partnership Branch GBRMPA

Ingrid Valentine – U.S Department of Education – Deputy Director 

Jennie Gilbert - Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre 

Sharon Cavanagh-Luskin - Founder Illuminate-FNQ