With the help of Deakin University and the University of Melbourne, Swinburne University of Technology is working to develop a STEM hub that will provide teachers and students with STEM engagement opportunities.

The online hub is created to encourage girls to participate in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics opportunities and has received $1.2 million in funding from The Invergowrie Foundation.

The Invergowrie Foundation has a focus to advance the education of young women in all career fields, so they award grants that will be able to make a significant impact. The foundation has a mission of powering potential within different career fields.

The project is being led by Swinburne associate professor, Theresa Keane, who has been an advocate for empowering young women in STEM for 25+ years. Keane is also an expert in the use of technology and computers in schools for teaching and learning purposes.

The hub will focus on furthering education with a focus on building STEM identity in early childhood education.

“The STEM Hub will be an exciting virtual laboratory—we will continuously evaluate and research the platform, its content and interactivity and learning impact with students and teachers. We will ensure the hub’s offering is continually improved and refreshed quarterly by frequently aggregating, curating, and creating content that is engaging,” says Associate Professor Keane.

The project team will work collaboratively across three themes: STEM experience, STEM awareness and STEM practices and resources. The hub will contain activities and create content and resources that focus on the needs of young women and diversity in the field.

The program will also make it a point to address unconscious bias and stereotyping and the role that it plays when it comes to careers in STEM education and careers.