Women in STEM: Congratulations Hila!

Congratulations to ARMI researcher Dr Hila Barzilai-Tutsch from the Currie Group on being awarded a 2024 Advancing Women’s Success Grant from Monash University.  The grant will support the advancement of Hila’s career by providing access to funds that will allow her to continue her research alongside her carer responsibilities. 

As part of a wider initiative to address gender disparity, Monash University has established the Advancing Women’s Success Grant. Highly competitive, the grant aims to support “the career progression of early to mid-career high potential academic women with carer responsibilities and assists the university in fostering talent and progressing gender equity in senior roles within the academy.” 

Hila commented, “I applied for research assistance which will allow me to advance my science and also some childcare coverage to allow me to attend local scientific meetings.” She continued, “It’s no secret that career breaks and/or caring responsibilities can have a significant impact on academic success and career progression, and this disproportionately affects women. This can often result in fewer publications and missed opportunities in presenting research, supervising students and being more involved in professional bodies and organisations. All the things that help build a viable career in academia.”  

“By attending to more local scientific meetings with the help of this grant, my goal is to deeply discuss my research with peers, meet potential collaborators and boost my professional networks,” Hila said. 

The grant scheme also offers “professional career coaching to assist awardees with their long-term career planning.” In the long-term, this grant scheme hopes to help more talented women be appointed to senior roles within the academy. 

The “leaky pipeline,” a term describing the poor retention of women in STEM fields, has resulted in “a system with low representation of women in STEM education, workplaces, and senior level leaders, and a society that undervalues the opportunities and contributions a career in STEM can provide for girls and women,” according to a report by the Department of Industry, Science and Resources. Diversity, in all its forms, is particularly important in research and innovation. Having a broad spectrum of perspectives and experiences can help catalyse the development of novel ideas and solutions, bolstering growth and benefits for society. 

“Thank you to Monash University, the Currie Group and the ARMI community for their support,” said Hila. “It’s exciting to see material support being provided to women to maintain or even improve the momentum of their research output and galvanise their academic profile.” 

Congratulations Hila!