Students from Sydney’s Bardia State School spent two days at the UNSW Kensington Campus recently, gaining an insight into the world of engineering.
60 girls from years five and six took part in the Engineering Faculty’s Girls in STEMM program, learning about five different engineering disciplines and experiencing hands-on, creative problem-solving activities.
With women and girls underrepresented across all areas of STEMM, the Girls in STEMM program encourages an interest in engineering, shares information on potential career pathways and fosters the next generation of women in engineering.
Program Director Dr Wendy S.L. Lee from the School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications said, “The Girls in STEMM activity directly supported widening participation into Engineering by targeting young girls from Bardia Public School, a feeder into a Gateway high school, to address the underrepresentation of women in engineering.”
“By introducing the girls to five different engineering disciplines and showcasing hands-on, creative problem-solving activities, the program expanded their understanding of what engineering can be.”
The UNSW organising team was comprised of representatives from the five different schools within the Faculty of Engineering. Dr Wendy Lee was joined by Dr. Shukla Poddar from the School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Electricity Engineering, Dr Irene Renaud-Assemat from the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Dr. Fitri Widhiastuti from the School of Chemical Engineering and Dr. Laura Montano Luna from the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
The first day of the Girls in STEMM 2025 program introduced the disciplines of Electrical Engineering and Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering. The students learnt about the composition of solar panels, how rooftop solar systems generate electricity and how that electricity is measured.
Dr Poddar, a postdoctoral researcher in renewable energy engineering, said, “It was wonderful to hear the girls say they can now tell people they’ve touched a solar panel, and to see them interested in sustainability.”
They then designed and built working electrical circuits to create glowing paper creations using copper tape, LED lights, and coin cell batteries.
On day two, the girls first worked as a team of chemical engineers, guided by Dr Fitri Widhiastuti, to design and a low-cost, low-energy filtration system for rural areas. The activity showed them how engineering can help people get clean water in simple ways.
“It was wonderful to see the students realise that clean water can be created through simple technologies,” said Dr Widhiastuti. She also praised their creativity and teamwork, noting how the activity sparked their curiosity about engineering.
They then collaborated with team members from the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering to discover how fuel cells work, and put their new knowledge to the test by building and racing their own fuel cell–powered cars. Finally, they learnt about civil and environmental engineering through the concept of using floating pontoons to grow mangrove forests. The students had the opportunity to build their own floating pontoons that could hold as many mangroves as possible.
Associate Lecturer in Humanitarian Engineering Dr Laura Montano Luna was responsible for the floating mangroves session. She said, “Being part of Girls in STEMM 2025 was an inspiring experience. The students shone in every activity, and I was delighted to promote Project Halo during our session.”
“The girls impressed us all by designing and building floating structures to support an artificial mangrove within just 20 minutes. Every design floated successfully! Hats off to Bardia Public School for their smart and inspiring students who will soon begin high school.”
During the program, the girls were also connected to the Year 7 Young Women in Engineering Club—an inspiring community for high school students interested in STEMM. This provided a visible pathway for ongoing support and belonging for the girls as they transition to high school. Discussions around alternate pathways into studying engineering at UNSW also helped to demystify university entry and reassure students that there are multiple opportunities available.
Students also left with a Girls in STEMM booklet to take home, designed by Environmental and Humanitarian Engineering Student Advaita Nittukar.
Wendy Lee said, “Having these girls on campus, exploring labs, and engaging with role models created a sense of excitement and belonging, leaving many inspired to return and with a clear interest in pursuing engineering.”
The Girls in STEMM program is one of many initiatives by the UNSW Faculty of Engineering aimed at increasing diversity and boosting the participation of underrepresented cohorts in engineering.