Insider Brief
- Quantum Australia participated in the Women in STEMM Leadership Summit to discuss measurable allyship and leadership pathways for women in science and technology.
- CEO Petra Andrén joined industry and government leaders in a panel focused on sponsorship, accountability, and systemic change to improve women’s representation in STEMM leadership roles.
- Quantum Australia emphasized that increasing women’s participation in quantum technologies is important for strengthening Australia’s future workforce, innovation capacity, and national competitiveness.
PRESS RELEASE — Quantum Australia, the national centre for quantum growth, has participated in the Women in STEMM Leadership Summit today, discussing how leaders can create measurable impact for women in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM).
The summit was organised by the Women Leaders Institute in partnership with Science & Technology Australia (STA).
Quantum Australia CEO, Petra Andrén, spoke on the panel, “Allyship: Driving change together” moderated by STA CEO Ryan Winn, examining how sponsorship, accountability, and system change can strengthen leadership pathways for women in Australia’s STEMM sector.
This included discussion on what leaders can do to sponsor talent, not just mentor it, partner with women to drive cultural change, and make allyship measurable through accountability and everyday leadership behaviours.
Joining them on stage were Dr Samone McCurdy, Executive Manager, Insights and Capability at the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, Dr Scott Tyo, Chief of Platforms at Defence Science and Technology Group, Department of Defence, and Dr Debbie Eagles, Director of the CSIRO Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness.
Quantum Australia’s participation follows its ongoing work to build and coordinate Australia’s quantum ecosystem by connecting research, industry and government, accelerating commercialisation, and helping establish Australia as a destination for quantum innovation and investment.
Women’s participation in quantum is particularly important, according to Quantum Australia, because quantum is expected to influence areas and provide an enabling layer to critical sectors of national capability such as mining, medicine, finance, infrastructure, and defence while enabling new advances in communications, sensing, and computing.
Panelists agree that allyship in STEMM cannot stop at encouragement, but rather leaders must sponsor women into visible opportunities, back them into decision-making roles, measure progress, and be accountable for whether leadership pathways are actually changing.
Quantum Australia has previously argued that women’s voices are needed in the technologies that will define Australia’s economic and strategic position over the next two decades, and that leadership equity must be built into the field while it is still taking shape.
Petra Andrén, CEO of Quantum Australia, said: “Quantum technologies represent a leadership, capability and national readiness opportunity for Australia right now. The decisions made now will shape who gets to build, govern, and benefit from the sector because the sector is still forming.
“If we build our quantum capability without enough women in the room, we risk repeating the same blind spots that have limited other emerging technology sectors, making events like Science & Technology Australia’s Women in STEMM Leadership Summit absolutely critical.
“As we discussed on stage today, allyship in STEMM cannot stop at encouragement. Leaders need to sponsor women into visible opportunities, back them into decision-making roles, measure progress, and be accountable for whether leadership pathways are actually changing.
“As Australia seeks to build a globally-competitive quantum industry, allyship should also be viewed as a capability issue, not simply a diversity issue. We cannot afford to leave talent on the sidelines in a sector where skills are scarce and global competition for talent is increasing.
“Science & Technology Australia has created an important forum for leaders to have practical conversations about influence, accountability and action. I’m pleased to support a summit focused not only on representation, but on the systems that allow women to lead.”
Ryan Winn, CEO of Science & Technology Australia, said: “Leadership in STEMM is about creating opportunities, shaping systems, and empowering women to lead, innovate, and thrive.
“One of STA’s strategic goals is to drive diversity and inclusion in the sector. We are shifting the conversation from representation to real influence.”
For more information on the Women in STEMM Leadership Summit, visit https://stemm.womenleadersummit.com/
