Johnson & Johnson Innovation has recognised six female undergraduate Griffith University students with awards aimed at supporting their education in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, manufacturing and design (STEM2D).
This recognition was announced at an event marking the three-year anniversary of the opening of the Johnson & Johnson Innovation Partnering Office at Queensland University of Technology (JJIPO @ QUT).
Griffith University is one of 13 universities worldwide, and the first in Australia, to participate in the program.
The recipients of the Women in STEM2D (WiSTEM2D) joint Johnson & Johnson Innovation and Griffith University awards are:
- Ela Heiniger - Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Electronic and Biomedical Engineering, 4th year, Gold Coast Campus;
- Jacquelyn Wilson: Bachelor of Information Technology, 2nd year, Gold Coast Campus;
- Kelly Meuleman: Bachelor of Pharmacy, 2nd year, Gold Coast Campus;
- Katharina Gutjahr-Holland: Bachelor of Health Science, 2nd year, Gold Coast Campus;
- Kathleen Jackson: Bachelor of Nursing, 3rd year, Logan Campus; and,
- Luana Ross: Bachelor of Nursing, 3rd year, Logan Campus
The WiSTEM2D recipients will receive mentorship from Johnson & Johnson commercial leaders. The first-hand experience of site tours, mentorship, and project and career workshops is designed to enable students to visualise a career in STEM outside of academia.
The project also provides research funding to identify barriers that prevent female students from joining and staying in STEM-related degrees and solutions to overcome those barriers
“We recognise that women are underrepresented in the STEM workforce here in Australia," said Bruce Goodwin, managing director of Janssen Australia and New Zealand.
"The mentoring element of the WiSTEM2D project is designed to combat potential isolation among female students and to provide support for them as they continue their undergraduate degrees. As we look to build a diverse workforce for the future, we are committed to supporting women in STEM, allowing Australia to develop a talent pipeline by nurturing and mentoring our future female STEM leaders.”
At the three-year anniversary of JJIPO @ QUT, Kathy Connell, Senior Director of New Ventures, Australia and New Zealand, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, said, “In just three short years, the JJIPO @ QUT has helped countless current and future life-science students, academics, entrepreneurs, and investors connect with each other and with Johnson & Johnson’s global community. Working together, we can all help build STEM talent pipelines as well as accelerate lifesaving and life-enhancing technologies for people around the world.”
JJIPO @ QUT is a public-private collaboration between Johnson & Johnson Innovation, the Queensland state government and the Queensland University of Technology.
Since its inception in 2016, it has provided a platform for major life-science collaborations in Queensland to strengthen the global healthcare ecosystem and enable future impact.